The U.S. House of Representatives has officially banned the use of WhatsApp on all government-managed devices, citing significant cybersecurity concerns.
In a memo distributed to lawmakers and staff on Monday, the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, through its Office of Cybersecurity, classified WhatsApp as a “high-risk” application. The office flagged the platform over a lack of transparency in data protection, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security vulnerabilities.
The directive advises all House members and staff to uninstall WhatsApp and migrate to more secure communication alternatives. Approved platforms include Microsoft Teams, Amazon Wickr, Signal, Apple’s iMessage, and FaceTime.
A WhatsApp spokesperson responded to the ban, saying, “We disagree with this decision in the strongest possible terms,” and insisted that the platform provides stronger security features than many of the approved alternatives.
The decision follows previous cybersecurity actions by the House, including a 2022 ban on TikTok over similar concerns regarding data privacy and national security. Earlier this year, WhatsApp revealed that Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions had targeted several of its users, including journalists and civil society actors.
The move underscores increasing scrutiny over digital communication tools used within U.S. government institutions.
