The U.S. House of Representatives has officially banned the use of WhatsApp on all government-issued devices for congressional staff, effective immediately. This decision follows a memo from the House’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), which classified WhatsApp as a “high-risk” application due to several cybersecurity concerns.
WhatsApp is a widely used messaging application owned by Meta Platforms, Inc. It offers free, private messaging and calling services globally, allowing users to send texts, voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, and other media. WhatsApp is known for its end-to-end encryption, which means messages are encrypted during transmission and can only be read by the sender and recipient.
Key Reasons for the Ban
The Office of Cybersecurity cited insufficient transparency regarding how WhatsApp protects user data. WhatsApp was criticized for the absence of encryption for stored (at-rest) data, meaning that while messages are end-to-end encrypted in transit, messages stored on devices or backups may not be fully protected. The memo referenced unspecified vulnerabilities that could compromise sensitive government communications.
In January 2025, WhatsApp acknowledged that users—including journalists and civil society members—had been targeted by spyware developed by the Israeli firm Paragon Solutions, further raising concerns about the platform’s security.
Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, strongly disagreed with the House’s assessment. A spokesperson stated that WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption offers a higher level of security than many of the approved alternatives and challenged the characterization of the app as a security risk.
Scope and Enforcement
The ban applies to all versions of WhatsApp (mobile, desktop, web) on any House-managed device. Staff are required to remove the app from their devices, and access to WhatsApp Web will be blocked on the House network.
The restriction is part of a broader trend: previous bans have included TikTok, ByteDance apps, and restrictions on AI tools like ChatGPT (only the paid version is permitted on House devices).
Recommended Alternatives
The CAO recommended several alternative messaging platforms deemed more secure for official communications:
- Microsoft Teams
- Amazon’s Wickr
- Signal
- Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime
