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This petition was submitted during the 2019 to 2024 Parliament

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Closed petition Make it unlawful for Government business to be conducted by private message apps

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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.

2,791 signatures


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    This petition will stay open until 9 May 2024.