On Monday, congressional staff members were informed in a strict capacity by the U.S. House’s chief administrative officer that WhatsApp can no longer be used on their government-issued smartphones or other devices due to a high security risk. Over time, apps that can potentially compromise user data are either completely or partially blocked to minimize any breaches.
In recent years, a partial ban on programs such as Microsoft Copilot, DeepSeek, ChatGPT, and others has been observed due to the risky nature of these applications
The latest report from Axios mentions that whatever apps that are considered a high-risk to users, or do not provide a detailed understanding on how user data is protected, have been blacklisted. The report mentions that WhatsApp has joined the list because not only does the messaging app not adhere to the aforementioned requirements, but it also lacks stored data encryption, turning it into an immediate red flag.
“The Office of Cybersecurity has deemed WhatsApp a high-risk to users due to the lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks involved with its use.”
An email obtained by Axios states that congressional staff members, under no circumstances, are allowed to download, install, and use WhatsApp on smartphones, desktops, with even web browsers being barred. No details on the repercussions of the continued use of the app have been mentioned in the report, but it does state that those caught will be asked to remove it immediately.
“House staff are NOT allowed to download or keep the WhatsApp application on any House device, including any mobile, desktop, or web browser versions of its products. If you have a WhatsApp application on your House-managed device, you will be contacted to remove it.”
Over the years, programs such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, DeepSeek, and certain apps owned and controlled by ByteDance have received the ban hammer, but the U.S. House’s chief administrative officer has said that Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Signal, iMessage, and FaceTime are all alternatives to WhatsApp. Even if the latter issues a statement on its robust security and user privacy, we doubt the app will return to U.S. government devices.
News Source: Axios
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