The White House app is being installed automatically on more government phones, and critics are calling it a “dodgy website wrapper.” The app was launched to give Americans direct access to announcements, speeches and livestreams from the Trump administration.
The Department of Homeland Security will receive it on official mobile devices, according to an internal email seen by Politico. The email pitched the app as “a convenient way to access official White House communications, including announcements, executive actions, speeches, livestreams, videos and other updates.” That follows an earlier rollout that reportedly included Federal Aviation Administration devices. The White House has billed the app as “unfiltered, real-time updates straight from the source” and urged agencies to make it available to staff.
Critics ask why. Most of what the app shows is already on the White House website, so some technology commentators see little more than a wrapper around an existing webpage.
Third-party code
Reports say the app loads code from third-party repositories, which security experts usually scrutinize before software goes on sensitive government devices. It has also reportedly incorporated technology from Elfsight, a software company originally founded in Russia.
The White House has said its IT team gave Elfsight a full security review and approved it. Earlier reports claimed a vulnerability involving the company exposed personal information of some White House staff. Officials said that problem was tied to Elfsight, not the app.
Sonny Hashmi, a former General Services Administration IT executive, objected to mandatory installs. Any app placed on government-issued devices could become another way into protected networks if weaknesses turn up, he warned.
Data from ordinary users
Privacy advocates also want to know what the app collects from people who download it onto personal phones. Reports suggest it shares users’ IP addresses, time zones, phone models and other technical details with third-party services. Many apps gather similar data, but campaigners say users should know what is collected and shared before installing government-backed software, and they argue this app is less transparent than most.
