The U.S. House of Representatives has banned WhatsApp from all government-issued devices used by congressional staff, citing serious cybersecurity and data privacy concerns.
In a memo sent to House staff, the Office of Cybersecurity classified WhatsApp as a “high risk” app due to its lack of transparency around data protection, the absence of stored message encryption, and other potential security vulnerabilities. Starting June 30, staff are required to uninstall WhatsApp from all official devices, including phones, laptops, desktops, and browsers.
The House is urging staff to switch to messaging alternatives it considers more secure. These include Microsoft Teams, Amazon’s Wickr, Signal, Apple’s iMessage, and FaceTime. This decision follows earlier bans on apps like TikTok, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and DeepSeek, as part of an ongoing effort to tighten digital security within federal institutions. While WhatsApp is still allowed on personal devices, those cannot be used in sensitive areas such as classified briefings or secure facilities.
Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has strongly pushed back against the ban. The company maintains that messages on WhatsApp are protected with end-to-end encryption by default, meaning only the sender and recipient can read them. “We disagree with the House Chief Administrative Officer’s characterization in the strongest possible terms,” said Meta Communications Director Andy Stone (via Axios). Meta also argued that WhatsApp provides stronger security than several of the apps now recommended by the House.
Concerns around WhatsApp’s vulnerabilities have grown in recent months. In January, a WhatsApp official revealed that Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions had targeted the platform. The attack affected about 90 users, including journalists and civil society members. U.S.-based AE Industrial Partners later acquired Paragon, and research suggests the company counts multiple allied governments among its clients.
The timing of the ban also coincides with Meta’s growing involvement with U.S. government and military operations. Meta has opened access to some of its AI tools for defense use and is working with defense tech firm Anduril on new military projects. Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s chief technology officer, recently joined the U.S. Army Reserve’s Executive Innovation Corps as a lieutenant colonel, reinforcing the company’s closer ties to national security circles.
Despite Meta’s objections, the House appears firm in its decision. Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor said protecting House data is a top priority, and the approved list of apps is regularly reviewed based on emerging cybersecurity risks. WhatsApp remains available in the U.S. Senate, which has not issued a similar restriction.
