Capitol crackdown: US Congress bans employees from using WhatsApp, here's why

WhatsApp

The US House of Representatives has banned the use of WhatsApp on all government-managed devices, citing significant cybersecurity concerns. The decision, made by the Office of Cybersecurity under the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), bars staff from downloading or using any version of WhatsApp — mobile, desktop, or browser —on House-issued equipment.

The internal memo, first reported by Axios, says the app poses a “high risk” due to “lack of transparency in how it protects user data,” and notably, the “absence of stored data encryption.” The directive further warns that anyone currently using the app on a House device will be asked to remove it.

This move expands an already growing list of banned applications, which includes TikTok, DeepSeek, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot. In their place, staffers are encouraged to use alternatives such as Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Signal, iMessage, and FaceTime.

What’s puzzling is that WhatsApp chats are end-to-end encrypted — a feature widely considered a gold standard for secure communication.

Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, was quick to push back. Spokesperson Andy Stone strongly disagreed with the CAO’s assessment, pointing out that the app remains approved for Senate use. “We know members and their staffs regularly use WhatsApp and we look forward to ensuring members of the House can join their Senate counterparts in doing so officially,” he said.

Despite Meta’s protest, the House’s cybersecurity office appears to be taking a more cautious stance. This is likely due to broader concerns about metadata handling, opaque security practices, and integration with Meta’s broader data ecosystem.