Image by Dimitri Karastelev, from Unsplash
U.S. House Bans WhatsApp On Official Devices Over Data Concerns
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives instructed its congressional staff members to eliminate WhatsApp from official government devices.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- U.S. House bans WhatsApp from all government-issued devices.
- CAO cites lack of data transparency and encryption.
- Meta says WhatsApp is safer than approved alternatives.
The order came from the House’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), citing serious worries about user data management and cybersecurity risks in the app..
“The 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 internal email obtained by Axios .
“House staff are NOT allowed to download or keep the WhatsApp application on any House device,” they added.
If staffers already have the app installed, the CAO warned they will be contacted to remove it. Azios notes that the House has previously banned Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT (except the paid Plus version), as well as multiple ByteDance applications.
The parent company of WhatsApp, Meta, strongly opposes the decision made by the House. Spokesperson Andy Stone said, “We disagree with the House Chief Administrative Officer’s characterization in the strongest possible terms.”
We disagree with the House Chief Administrative Officer’s characterization in the strongest possible terms. We know members and their staffs regularly use WhatsApp and we look forward to ensuring members of the House can join their Senate counterparts in doing so officially. https://t.co/QsUPKaiAmU — Andy Stone (@andymstone) June 23, 2025
Axios reports how Andy added that WhatsApp messages are “end-to-end encrypted by default, meaning only the recipients and not even WhatsApp can see them,” and called it “a higher level of security than most of the apps on the CAO’s approved list.”
The CAO recommended House staff members use Signal, iMessage, FaceTime, Wickr, or Microsoft Teams as alternative messaging platforms, the Axios report said. Staff members received instructions to maintain constant vigilance against phishing scams and suspicious communication messages.
CNBC notes that the announcement comes as Meta is under fire in an antitrust case that challenges its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram. The company plans to introduce WhatsApp ads for revenue growth, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg describes as “the next chapter” for the application.
Photo by Sentry Labs on Unsplash.
Tesla Launches First Robotaxi Service In Texas
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Tesla started to roll out its Robotaxi services in Texas this Sunday. The company deployed a limited fleet of around 10 Model Y SUVs in Austin to provide the anticipated service for the first time.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Tesla started to roll out its Robotaxi service in Austin on Sunday.
- The company deployed around 10 autonomous vehicles, Model Y SUVs, for its customers.
- A few users got to test the new services and shared their experience on social media.
According to Reuters , Tesla offered passengers a ride for a $4.20 flat fee and offered early access invitations to selected people. Social media users who got to download the app and test the new service shared videos and thoughts across multiple platforms.
Super congratulations to the @Tesla_AI software & chip design teams on a successful @Robotaxi launch!! Culmination of a decade of hard work. Both the AI chip and software teams were built from scratch within Tesla. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 22, 2025
Musk said that experts at Tesla were “super paranoid” about users’ safety and were monitoring the fleet closely and remotely. Humans were behind the “teleoperation” service, ready to act and control the vehicle if needed.
It was not disclosed exactly how many Tesla workers were in the vehicle as a safety measure or how autonomous the operation was.
According to The New York Times , the launch was highly anticipated, and many investors and experts were waiting to see if the technology matched Musk’s promises.
“So far, this launch lags significantly behind the company’s promise and what competitors have already delivered,” said Paul Miller, principal analyst at Forrester Research, to the newspaper.
Others were more enthusiastic. “This is a historic moment,” said Herbert Ong, one of the content creators who got to enjoy Tesla’s Robotaxi service.
“Some people still doubt Tesla’s Robotaxi’s tech, but it’s clear they’re making big moves. This could be the start of something huge!” added Ong in a post.
Wedbush’s Dan Ives says Tesla’s Robotaxi rides were smoother than Waymo’s early ones! 🔥 Some people still doubt Tesla’s @robotaxi tech, but it’s clear they’re making big moves. This could be the start of something huge! $TSLA @DivesTech pic.twitter.com/4wl5MxsGib — Herbert Ong (@herbertong) June 23, 2025
Tesla plans on expanding its Robotaxi service across the United States, where the laws allow the autonomous service.
“Our approach to autonomy also enables scalability: Tesla self-driving can be deployed anywhere it’s approved,” wrote the company on a post on X . “It does not require expensive, specialized equipment or extensive mapping of service areas. It just works.”
Earlier this year, Waymo and Uber partnered to offer robotaxi rides also in Austin , Texas, and a couple of weeks ago, the robotaxi company also announced that it was expanding its services to Japan .
