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The White House has a new app, and what’s hiding under the app is a privacy and security nightmare.
The app, literally called “White House,” is designed to “provide unparalleled access to the Trump administration,” according to the White House office. Announcement on Friday. But it may come to your detriment Personal data, Online security And privacy.
The app is rife with data sharing and security concerns, including Location tracking. Security researchers who looked under the hood reported finding lax protections and unclear features. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The app is now available for both Android and iOS users, but should you download it? I did that (briefly) so there’s no need to. Here’s what’s in the app and why experts are angry.
What’s in the White House app?
The app opens with music and a short compilation video of President Donald Trump. It has pages about affordability, including prices for things like eggs and milk (but not gas). There is an overtime calculator. There are links to articles from Trump’s favorite news outlets, such as Fox News and Newsmax, along with White House press releases.
The app also features live streams and videos of press briefings, links to White House social feeds and photos of the president.
Why did you delete the white house app so quickly
Behind all these tabs are troubling privacy and security issues that have the Internet and experts worried.
One X user, @Thereallo1026, He dismantled the White House app I blogged about it and mentioned that the Android app tracks your location every 4.5 minutes and shares a lot of information, like your location, notifications and maybe even your phone number, with a third-party server.
Another red flag is that the code for YouTube embeds comes from a personal GitHub account. If a GitHub account is compromised, it could affect every user of the White House app, Cirillo said.
Another cybersecurity researcher, Atomic Computer Services, Posted similar concerns About the iOS app. The researchers found that the app reported to the App Store that it did not collect location data, when in fact it included the ability to do GPS tracking. It is unclear whether this tracking is actually happening, but the code exists, Atomic Computer said.
Other concerns identified by Atomic Computer included the removal of privacy consent banners from third-party content displayed in the app and minimal security protections. “We’ve audited apps for startups with three employees that have better security than this,” Atomic Computer wrote.
Experts said government-sponsored apps to inform people are common, but this app poses significant risks. Official spokesman Center for Democracy and Technologywho advocates for transparency and privacy in government technology, told CNET that “mobile apps can be a useful tool to make government more accessible. But this administration has given people plenty of reasons to worry about their privacy, and this app only raises more questions about what the federal government is doing with our personal data.”
For me, this app is a tough pass. I deleted it 10 minutes after downloading it.