The U.S. House of Representatives has officially banned the use of WhatsApp on all government-issued devices, citing significant cybersecurity risks. The announcement was made via an internal memo from the House’s Office of Cybersecurity, labeling the popular messaging app as a “high-risk” application.
The decision points to a lack of transparency in how WhatsApp handles user data, concerns over unencrypted stored information, and potential vulnerabilities that could compromise sensitive communications. Instead, staff are being urged to switch to alternative platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Signal, Amazon Wickr, Apple iMessage, and FaceTime, which are deemed more secure by the institution.
Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, strongly opposed the decision. A company spokesperson argued that WhatsApp offers stronger end-to-end encryption and security protocols than many of the alternatives suggested by the House.
Earlier this year, WhatsApp acknowledged that Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions had allegedly targeted a wide range of users, including journalists and civil society figures. That revelation fueled existing concerns about the app’s vulnerability to cyber intrusions.
This is not the first time the U.S. government has restricted certain applications over security risks. TikTok was banned from government devices in 2022 for similar reasons. More recently, Signal also came under scrutiny when it was revealed that sensitive U.S. military plans concerning Yemen had been shared in private Signal groups, including one reportedly joined by journalist Jeffrey Goldberg.