WhatsApp banned on House lawmakers' devices

The U.S. House's chief administrative officer announced a ban on WhatsApp for congressional staff devices due to data security concerns. The ban highlights vulnerabilities in user data protection and lack of encryption.

The CAO has previously restricted apps like DeepSeek, ByteDance, and Microsoft Copilot, while also advising staff to use only ChatGPT Plus.

In an email, the CAO stated, "WhatsApp a high-risk to users due to the lack of transparency in how it protects user data."

"House staff are NOT allowed to download or keep the WhatsApp application on any House device, including any mobile, desktop, or web browser versions of its products."

The email added: "If you have a WhatsApp application on your House-managed device, you will be contacted to remove it."

Staff are prohibited from using WhatsApp and must remove it from their devices.

Acceptable alternatives include Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Signal, iMessage, and FaceTime.