ALBAWABA- The U.S. House of Representatives has officially announced a ban on the use of WhatsApp across all government-issued devices, citing serious concerns over data security and user privacy.
The popular messaging app has been classified as high-risk due to the lack of encryption for stored data and potential vulnerabilities that could expose sensitive information.
This move comes amid heightened global scrutiny of data privacy, especially in light of regional tensions.
Notably, Iranian authorities had earlier urged users to uninstall WhatsApp and Instagram following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, warning of security breaches that allow user data to be collected and funneled to Israeli intelligence, claims now seen by some as reinforced by the U.S. decision.
WhatsApp is owned by Meta, the tech giant led by Mark Zuckerberg, which also owns Instagram and Facebook. The integration of these platforms under Meta has raised additional concerns about centralized data handling and cross-platform tracking.
