Houston: The US House of Representatives has officially prohibited the use of Meta’s WhatsApp messaging platform on all government-issued devices, citing significant security risks.
The move follows a memo sent to House staff on Monday by the Office of Cybersecurity, which flagged WhatsApp as a high-risk application.
The memo highlighted concerns about WhatsApp’s lack of transparency regarding user data protection, absence of stored data encryption, and potential vulnerabilities that could compromise sensitive information.
As a result, House staff are now advised to switch to alternative messaging apps such as Wickr, iMessage, FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, and Signal.
Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, expressed strong disagreement with the decision. A spokesperson stated that WhatsApp offers a higher level of security compared to the approved alternatives, emphasizing their commitment to user privacy.
This decision follows previous security measures by the House, which in 2022 banned staff from using TikTok amid concerns over data security and foreign influence.
The ban underscores increasing scrutiny on digital security within government communications, especially following reports in January that Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions targeted WhatsApp users, including journalists and civil society members.
