The US House of Representatives has apparently prohibited the use of WhatsApp on all government-provided devices. According to various accounts, this ban was implemented due to worries about data security and cyber threats. It’s said that the directive was communicated via an internal memorandum distributed to all House employees on Monday, as initially highlighted by the news outlet. Axios, and confirmed by Reuters The Office of Cybersecurity, functioning under the jurisdiction of the House’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), stated in their memorandum that WhatsApp presents a “significant threat to users because of insufficient clarity regarding its methods for safeguarding user information, the non-existence of encryption for saved data, and possible security vulnerabilities associated with its usage,” as reported. Reuters .
Employees have allegedly been told to delete the app from every device controlled by the House administration, which includes smartphones, personal computers, and online browsers. The CAO stated in an email: “Should you have the WhatsApp application installed on any House-controlled equipment, you will receive communication requesting its removal.”
Instead, the office has suggested using more secure communication tools like Signal, Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Apple’s iMessage, and FaceTime. Employees were apparently advised to remain vigilant against phishing attacks and dubious messages coming from unrecognized phone numbers.
The parent company of WhatsApp, Meta Platforms, expressed strong disagreement with this action. As stated in their official comment, Axios Andy Stone, a company spokesperson, stated, "We strongly refute the characterization made by the House Chief Administrative Officer in the harshest terms conceivable."
Stone defended the app’s encryption capabilities, stating, “By default, messages on WhatsApp are protected with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the intended recipients – and not even WhatsApp itself – can view them. This provides a greater degree of security compared to many applications on the CAO's approved list, which typically lack this safeguard.”
Meta also expressed optimism that members of the House will ultimately be permitted to use WhatsApp, aligning with their counterparts in the Senate.
In January of this year, an official from WhatsApp disclosed that An Israeli surveillance firm called Paragon Solutions had aimed at several users on the platform. , including reporters and individuals from civil society organizations — thereby intensifying worries regarding the application’s susceptibility to spyware assaults.
At the beginning of this month, during its continuing confrontation with Israel, Iran additionally encouraged its people to remove WhatsApp from their devices. Due to concerns from numerous officials within the nation who suspected that certain sensitive information such as locations might be leaking through mobile applications—including WhatsApp—the use of these devices has been curtailed. Given how extensively this platform is utilized in Iran for both personal and business interactions, this advisory carries substantial weight.
While the state broadcast in Iran did not offer any direct evidence to support the claim, it quoted unnamed officials warning that the app might be "gathering user information" and transmitting it to the Israeli military. This accusation was firmly denied by Meta.
Stream English Language Live Television
Watch Hindi Live TV