WhatsApp Banned on US House Devices Over Data Security Concerns

The popular messaging service WhatsApp has been prohibited from all U.S. House of Representatives devices. An internal memo distributed to House staff on Monday cited that the Office of Cybersecurity deemed WhatsApp a “high-risk” due to its opaque data protection practices, lack of stored data encryption, and various potential security vulnerabilities.
The Chief Administrative Officer’s memo advised House staff to utilize alternative messaging platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Amazon Wickr, Signal, Apple iMessage, and Facetime. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has not yet commented on the ban.
This move follows recent scrutiny surrounding the Signal app, despite its end-to-end encryption. A controversy arose when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly shared sensitive details about planned attacks on Yemen in private Signal group chats. One chat, set up by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, inadvertently included a journalist, while another was created by Hegseth for family and others.