U.S. House Bans WhatsApp on Official Devices Over Security Concerns

The U.S. House of Representatives has officially banned WhatsApp from all House-issued devices, effective June 30. Citing significant security and data protection concerns, the Office of Cybersecurity deemed the messaging app a "high risk." This decision mandates staff to uninstall WhatsApp and transition to approved, more secure communication platforms.

House Bans WhatsApp Over Security Concerns

In a significant move to bolster cybersecurity, the U.S. House of Representatives has prohibited the use of WhatsApp on all government-issued devices. An internal memo from the Office of Cybersecurity, circulated to House staff on Monday, June 23, 2025, outlined the ban, which takes effect on June 30.

Why the Ban?

The Office of Cybersecurity classified WhatsApp as a "high risk" application due to several critical vulnerabilities:

• Lack of Transparency: Concerns were raised regarding WhatsApp's opaque practices in safeguarding user data.

• Absence of Stored Data Encryption: A key issue identified was the lack of encryption for data stored by the application.

• Potential Security Risks: The memo highlighted general security risks associated with the app's usage.

This decision follows a pattern of increased caution regarding digital communication tools within government environments, echoing the 2022 ban on TikTok from government devices.

Approved Alternatives

To ensure secure official communications, House employees have been advised to switch to a list of approved applications that offer enhanced security features. These include:

• Microsoft Teams

• Amazon Wickr

• Signal

• Apple's iMessage and FaceTime

Meta's Response

Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, has strongly contested the ban. A spokesperson for Meta expressed disagreement with the decision, asserting that WhatsApp provides a higher level of security, including end-to-end encryption by default, compared to many of the recommended alternatives. Despite this, the ban underscores ongoing tensions between tech giants and government bodies over data privacy and national security.

Precedent and Ongoing Scrutiny

This is not the first instance of a popular app facing restrictions from the U.S. House. Previous bans include TikTok, OpenAI ChatGPT, and DeepSeek, all implemented due to perceived security risks. The move also comes after revelations earlier this year that Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions had targeted WhatsApp users, including journalists and civil society members, further fueling concerns about the platform's vulnerabilities. While the U.S. Senate still permits WhatsApp, the House's firm stance reflects a growing trend of caution regarding digital communication tools in sensitive government contexts.

Sources:

• US House Bans WhatsApp Citing Data Security Risks, TechJuice.

• U.S. House Bans WhatsApp on Official Devices Over Security and Data Protection Issues, The Hacker News.

• US House staff banned from using WhatsApp: Here's why, NewsBytes.

• U.S. House bans WhatsApp on congressional devices over security concerns, Cryptopolitan.

• House Bans WhatsApp From Staffers’ Government-Issued Devices, Bloomberg.com.