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.
Pakistan and Oman called for restraint and diplomacy on Wednesday as they discussed the U.S.-Iran conflict, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and thre...
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at ...
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk...
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, vowing to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Thousands of young Georgians leave the country each year in search of better economic opportunities, with many moving west. As questions grow over Georgia’s European path, AnewZ spoke to people who have emigrated about what it would take for them to return.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
A 62-year-old man died on Wednesday after floodwaters swept his car into the sea on the Greek island of Rhodes, as torrential rain flooded roads, stranded vehicles and disrupted transport across the island.
A failure by the U.S. and Iran to reach an agreement on a UN-backed fertiliser shipping plan for the Strait of Hormuz within weeks could trigger a food security crisis in parts of Asia and Africa, a senior UN official has warned.
Pope Leo has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer, after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican says the tumour was detected during a routine health check, but its stage and whether it has spread remain unknown.
Greek students braved heavy rain to pitch tents outside parliament in Athens on Tuesday, demanding affordable housing and more education funding as rising living costs put university places beyond the reach of some students.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment