Petition · past parliament · Cabinet Office
Make it unlawful for Government business to be conducted by private message apps
Closed
2,791 signatures
What the petition asks
To make it unlawful for Ministers and Civil Servants to conduct official Government business using private messages apps, such as WhatApp. All Government business should be conducted through secure Government messaging services which are backed up and accessible when lawfully required.
The Covid Inquiry has made it apparent that much communication between Ministers and Civil Servants has been conducted via WhatsApp. This should be of concern in relation to security. It has also become apparent that some have sought to prevent WhatsApp messages being discoverable. This undermines democratic accountability. All official business should therefore be conducted by official messaging apps, which are backed up and properly discoverable by a court or public enquiry.
Timeline
| 9 Nov 2023 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 9 May 2024 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
2,791
Status
Closed
Department
Cabinet Office
Opened
9 Nov 2023
Closed
9 May 2024
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.