House Bans WhatsApp: Congressional Staff Left Typing in the Dark
The U.S. House of Representatives has banned WhatsApp on congressional devices, dubbing it “high-risk.” While congressional staff can still use it personally, the House recommends alternatives like Microsoft Teams and Signal. WhatsApp isn’t tickled, insisting its encryption is superior. They want to be in the same boat as the Senate, where WhatsApp sails smoothly.
Hot Take:
Well, it looks like WhatsApp just got ghosted by the U.S. House of Representatives! Apparently, the House staff won’t be swapping emojis or sharing memes on WhatsApp at work anymore. Maybe it’s time for them to dust off their carrier pigeons or start a congressional smoke signal committee instead? Frankly, the only thing more encrypted than their messages might be the ability to understand Congress itself.
Key Points:
- The U.S. House of Representatives banned WhatsApp on government devices, citing encryption concerns.
- The ban applies to all government mobile phones, laptops, desktop computers, and web browsers.
- WhatsApp is categorized as a “high-risk” communication platform by the House’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
- Acceptable alternatives include Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Signal, iMessage, and FaceTime.
- WhatsApp defends its encryption standards and challenges the House’s decision.