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This is due to the addition of Meta AI in WhatsApp [0]. Unsurprisingly, data egress to third parties is a major security vector - especially for mission critic

This is due to the addition of Meta AI in WhatsApp [0]. Unsurprisingly, data egress to third parties is a major security vector - especially for mission critical jobs like working in the House. MS apps incorporating Copilot have faced similar blocks as well. This requirement for data stewardship is called out in HITPOL8 as well [1][2] (the AI tool standards set by the House CAO). [0] - https://faq.whatsapp.com/203220822537614/?cms_platform=iphone https://faq.whatsapp.com/203220822537614/?cms_platform=iphon... [1] - https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/4/2/42dca19e-194b-481e-b11b-67153a8ab821/A0DC312390F4983FB50A73CB71E3E346.cha-modernization-ai-flash-report-12-20-24-v3.0.pdf https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/4/2/42dca19e-194b-481e-b1... [2] - https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/0/8/08476380-95c3-4989-ad4c-1e2a454b0007/9668ADB6A0D503B944E26EDB81EDC585.cha-modernization-ai-flash-report-10-25-24.pdf https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/0/8/08476380-95c3-4989-ad...

esafak 1y ago
Source for reason?
- alephnerd 1y ago
  The article as well as HITPOL8 [0][1]. WhatsApp has been blocked for the same reason Deepseek AI (the Deepseek app) is blocked - "Stewardship of Legislative Branch Data". [0] - https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/4/2/42dca19e-194b-481e-b11b-67153a8ab821/A0DC312390F4983FB50A73CB71E3E346.cha-modernization-ai-flash-report-12-20-24-v3.0.pdf https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/4/2/42dca19e-194b-481e-b1... [1] - https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/0/8/08476380-95c3-4989-ad4c-1e2a454b0007/9668ADB6A0D503B944E26EDB81EDC585.cha-modernization-ai-flash-report-10-25-24.pdf https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/0/8/08476380-95c3-4989-ad...
ethan_smith 1y ago
Signal would be the obvious choice here - open source, no AI integration, minimal metadata collection, and recommended by security professionals for sensitive communications.
- kube-system 1y ago
  Signal lacks other compliance features. e.g. message archiving It might be good if you're a journalist, but it's not as good if you have compliance requirements beyond confidentiality.
  - godelski 1y ago
    Wouldn't this be pretty easy to roll your own? You could set up different servers like Molly does. Or you could just recompile the app. Or you could force link it to a desktop session? Just spitballing here
    - kube-system 1y ago
      There are already forks that add some of those features.

esafak 1y ago

Source for reason?

alephnerd 1y ago
The article as well as HITPOL8 [0][1]. WhatsApp has been blocked for the same reason Deepseek AI (the Deepseek app) is blocked - "Stewardship of Legislative Branch Data". [0] - https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/4/2/42dca19e-194b-481e-b11b-67153a8ab821/A0DC312390F4983FB50A73CB71E3E346.cha-modernization-ai-flash-report-12-20-24-v3.0.pdf https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/4/2/42dca19e-194b-481e-b1... [1] - https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/0/8/08476380-95c3-4989-ad4c-1e2a454b0007/9668ADB6A0D503B944E26EDB81EDC585.cha-modernization-ai-flash-report-10-25-24.pdf https://cha.house.gov/_cache/files/0/8/08476380-95c3-4989-ad...

ethan_smith 1y ago

Signal would be the obvious choice here - open source, no AI integration, minimal metadata collection, and recommended by security professionals for sensitive communications.

kube-system 1y ago
Signal lacks other compliance features. e.g. message archiving It might be good if you're a journalist, but it's not as good if you have compliance requirements beyond confidentiality.
- godelski 1y ago
  Wouldn't this be pretty easy to roll your own? You could set up different servers like Molly does. Or you could just recompile the app. Or you could force link it to a desktop session? Just spitballing here
  - kube-system 1y ago
    There are already forks that add some of those features.