Swiss soldiers are required to stop using WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram, and use a domestic messenger instead, Swiss media reported this week. Data protection was cited as the reason.
Commanders and chiefs of staff received an instruction in late December informing them of the new rules, according to Swiss media. Army personnel should now use the domestically developed Threema messenger, both in official and private communication, including chats between soldiers and their relatives, the instruction said.
The instruction contains an explicit ban on other apps: “all other services are no longer permitted,” media with access to the content of the email reported. However, it is unclear if there will be any sanctions for those who do not stop using WhatsApp or other foreign messengers.
The army hopes the troops will “set an example,” as they are “encouraged to communicate consistently via Threema.”