Instead, the Swiss Threema software is to be used as a tool for digital communication.
Data security is one of the reasons for the policy change, according to an army spokesman quoted in a report by Tamedia newspapers on Wednesday.
Threema is based in Switzerland and not subject to legislation in another country, such as in the United States, where the so-called Cloud Act compels America-based technology firms to make data available upon legal request. Threema operates in line with European Union data regulations, the army spokesman said.
The annual fees charged to Threema users will be paid by the army, but critics say there are no sanctions planned for army members who continue to use other messenger tools.
During the army’s support missions during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, it became obvious that the flow of information between different units needed to be improved, another army spokesman confirmed to the Keystone-SDA news agency .
WhatsApp is the most popular messenger application among 16- to 64-year-olds in Switzerland, according to surveys.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
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The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
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The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
OECD: Sluggish economic activity slowing growth in Switzerland
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Sluggish economic activity at the start of the year is weighing on growth in Switzerland, with GDP expected to fall to 1.1% in 2024.
Report finds mistakes which led to Swiss government data breach
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Mistakes were made by both the government and internet company Xplain in the case of a criminal cyber-attack on the Bern-based IT business.
Swiss government wants better gender balance in federal administration
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New Swiss government personnel management targets say there must be even more female managers in the federal administration.
Swiss national science foundation funded over 5,000 projects in 2023
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In 2023, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) provided a total of CHF961 million worth of funding towards research projects.
Switzerland invites 160 delegations to June Ukraine peace talks
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Russia is currently not among the delegations invited to talks aimed at helping bring about peace in the conflict between Moscow and Ukraine.
Survey: air travel most popular way to go on holidays for Swiss
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Despite the climate crisis, flying is the most popular mode of transport for private travel – particularly among young, urban and high-income travellers.
Swiss government to use phone data to identify asylum seekers
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From April 2025, authorities plan to be able to analyse data from mobile phones, computers and other data carriers to identify asylum seekers.
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The government is beefing up its defences against cyberattacks, focusing on a command centre comprising 575 members of the armed forces.
US apps send thousands of private photos to Swiss police
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Harmless vacation photo or criminal content? Swiss federal police need to make this decision thousands of times per year.
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