U.S. House Bans WhatsApp on Official Devices Over Data Privacy and Security Concerns

In a significant move aimed at tightening cybersecurity protocols, the U.S. House of Representatives has officially banned the use of WhatsApp on all government-issued devices. The popular messaging app, owned by Meta Platforms, was flagged as a “high-risk” application by the House’s Office of Cybersecurity.

According to a memo released by the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, the decision stems from serious concerns about data privacy, transparency, and encryption standards on the platform. The document, first reported by Reuters, cited WhatsApp’s lack of end-to-end encryption for stored data and other potential security vulnerabilities.

Lawmakers Ordered to Delete WhatsApp

House members and their staff have been instructed to immediately uninstall WhatsApp from all official devices and transition to more secure alternatives such as Microsoft Teams, Amazon Wickr, Signal, Apple iMessage, and FaceTime.

Meta Pushes Back

Meta responded strongly to the ban, saying, “We disagree with this decision in the strongest possible terms,” and claimed that WhatsApp offers better security features than many of the approved alternatives.

The ban comes amid heightened scrutiny of tech platforms by U.S. lawmakers, following recent incidents involving spyware threats. In January, WhatsApp confirmed that Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions targeted select users, including journalists and civil society activists.

TikTok Ban Set a Precedent

This isn’t the first time the U.S. government has acted over app security concerns. In 2022, TikTok was also banned from federal devices, with officials citing national security risks linked to data harvesting by foreign entities.

Despite Concerns, WhatsApp Hits 3 Billion Users

Security concerns aside, WhatsApp continues to dominate the global messaging market. During Meta’s Q1 2025 earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that WhatsApp now boasts over 3 billion monthly active users, joining Facebook in an elite class of social platforms.

Originally launched in 2009 and acquired by Meta in 2014 for $19 billion, WhatsApp has seen exponential growth — from 2 billion users in 2020 to 3 billion in 2024 — all without advertising or subscription fees.

As Meta shifts toward integrating artificial intelligence across its platforms, WhatsApp’s immense user base is likely to play a central role in that strategy.