The U.S. House of Representatives has banned the use of WhatsApp on all official devices, citing cybersecurity risks tied to data protection and encryption practices. A memo issued Monday, June 23rd, by the chamber’s chief administrative officer instructed staff to remove the Meta-owned messaging application by Monday, June 30th.
The notice, distributed to all House offices, explained that the Office of Cybersecurity had classified WhatsApp as a high-risk platform. Concerns included “the lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks involved with its use.” The ban applies to mobile, desktop, and web versions of WhatsApp on House-managed devices.
Meta Platforms directly challenged the House’s decision, rejecting the cybersecurity concerns raised by officials. Spokesperson Andy Stone argued that WhatsApp offers “a higher level of security” than many of the approved alternatives, citing its default end-to-end encryption that prevents even the company from accessing user messages.
Meta also pointed out that the Senate has permitted WhatsApp usage and that the company has been working with House officials in hopes of gaining similar approval. Stone added that Meta looks forward to enabling House members to use the platform officially, as their Senate counterparts do.
The CAO’s office defended the move, with Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor emphasizing that protecting the House remains the “topmost priority” as officials continue to monitor potential cybersecurity threats.
While the memo did not specify what triggered the ban, cybersecurity experts have speculated on possible factors. Johns Hopkins cryptography professor Matthew Green noted that WhatsApp’s encrypted backup feature remains optional and not user-friendly. He suggested the lack of default encryption for stored data may have contributed to the Office of Cybersecurity’s assessment.
Questions also surfaced around WhatsApp’s integration of artificial intelligence features. However, another Johns Hopkins professor, Thomas Rid, indicated that AI concerns had not been raised in Meta’s conversations with House officials.
