WhatsApp has been officially banned from the U.S. House of Representatives due to security concerns outlined by the Office of Cybersecurity. Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor informed House staff that the messaging app poses a high risk as it lacks transparency regarding user data protection and stored data encryption. Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, contested this decision, arguing that WhatsApp offers superior end-to-end encryption compared to many approved applications. The ban encompasses all House-managed devices and highlights ongoing concerns about cybersecurity within government communications.
Messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted by default, meaning only the recipients and not even WhatsApp can see them. This is a higher level of security than most of the apps on the CAO's approved list that do not offer that protection.
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.
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