The US House of Representatives has banned Meta’s WhatsApp from all government-issued devices, citing serious cybersecurity risks and lack of transparency in user data protection.
WhatsApp, Meta's popular messaging platform, has been officially banned from all US House of Representatives-issued devices after a cybersecurity memo raised concerns over the app's safety and data handling practices, US media reported on Monday.
According to the memo circulated by the House's Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, WhatsApp was flagged as a “high risk” platform due to the “lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks involved with its use.”
The directive urged House staffers to switch to alternative messaging services deemed more secure, such as Amazon’s Wickr, Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, and Signal.
Meta responded sharply to the decision. A spokesperson said the company “disagrees with this move in the strongest possible terms,” and insisted that WhatsApp offers a higher level of security than the apps included in the memo.
Earlier this year, WhatsApp officials claimed that Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions had targeted numerous users, including journalists and civil society members.
This is not the first platform to face a congressional ban. In 2022, the House barred the use of TikTok on government devices over similar national security concerns.
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The U.S. Senate has blocked a Republican-backed funding bill for the 14th time, as the government shutdown reached 35 days on Tuesday — tying the longest in U.S. history.
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UNESCO has officially designated 15 December as World Turkic Language Family Day, marking an historic recognition of the linguistic and cultural heritage shared by Turkic-speaking nations.
Zohran Mamdani made history on 4 November, 2025, when he won New York City's mayoral election, becoming the city's first Muslim mayor, first South Asian mayor, and youngest mayor in over a century.
Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has won New York City’s mayoral election, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a landmark victory that makes him the city’s first Muslim mayor.
The U.S. Senate has blocked a Republican-backed funding bill for the 14th time, as the government shutdown reached 35 days on Tuesday — tying the longest in U.S. history.
A UPS cargo jet burst into flames and crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport on 4 November, killing at least seven people and injuring 11 others.
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