Opinion-in-brief: The pros and cons of our politicians’ love of WhatsApp
The data watchdog has admonished the Department of Health over its use of WhatsApp. According to the Information Commissioner’s Office, ministers and officials used the app to talk about their work during the pandemic.
Although this is not illegal, it means that it’s easier to delete potentially incriminating material. It also means that key information might be excluded by Freedom of Information requests.
The Department of Health is not alone in its taste for the app. MPs use it to communicate all the time. WhatsApp groups have been a key instrument for plotting during Brexit, and during the latest Westminster drama too.
People in politics and policy value these apps for their immediacy and informality. Yet these same apps make it a lot harder to hold politicians to account. And MPs might not like the idea of it – but they can also be hacked.