Tuesday, July 15, 2025
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U.S. Office of Cybersecurity bans WhatsApp, recommends apps like Apple’s Messages, FaceTime

The U.S. Office of Cybersecurity has banned WhatsApp, recommending apps like Apple’s Messages and FaceTime instead.

The U.S. Office of Cybersecurity has deemed WhatsApp a high-risk to users 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 CAO said in an email obtained by Axios.

“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.” The email added: “If you have a WhatsApp application on your House-managed device, you will be contacted to remove it.”

Instead, staffers are urged to use Apple’s Messages, FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, Wickr, and Signal, notes Axios.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.