The army command wants to make internal communications via app more secure and has banned the use of Whatsapp, Signal and Telegram.
Keystone/Peter Klaunzer
The use of the WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram messenger services for military purposes in the Swiss armed forces is to be banned.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/ug
Português
pt
Exército suíço restringe uso de aplicativos de mensagens
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.
Popular Stories
More
Demographics
Flat-hunting in Switzerland’s cheapest and most expensive municipalities
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Switzerland presents special toilet for cows to cut emissions
This content was published on
A toilet specially designed for cows, aimed at reducing ammonia emissions per animal by 15%, was presented at a farm in Hellbühl, canton Lucerne, on Wednesday.
Swiss petition against US F-35 fighter jets gathers 42,000 signatures
This content was published on
A petition by the "Stop-F35 Alliance" urging the Swiss government to immediately halt the purchase of new US fighter jets has gathered 42,500 signatures.
Swiss House of Representatives backs online Schengen visa system
This content was published on
In future, Schengen visa applications should be made via a European Union online platform. On Tuesday, Switzerland's House of Representatives adopted a revision of Swiss legislation on this issue.
UBS study: Switzerland is still the richest country in the world
This content was published on
Average per-capita wealth in Switzerland rose last year to $687,000 (CHF561,000), the UBS Global Wealth Report said on Wednesday.
UBS and Pictet report data leak after cyber attack on provider Chain IQ
This content was published on
Swiss banks UBS and Pictet on Wednesday confirmed they had suffered a data leak due to a cyber attack on their subcontractor Chain IQ in Switzerland.
Iran will respond firmly if US gets directly involved in Israeli strikes, says UN ambassador
This content was published on
Iran says it will respond firmly to the United States if it becomes directly involved in Israel's military campaign, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said on Wednesday.
Swiss politicians concerned by cut to Lausanne-Paris TGV services
This content was published on
The Vaud cantonal parliament wants to maintain six direct daily TGV high-speed train services between Lausanne and Paris.
This content was published on
Switzerland and Norway have signed a bilateral agreement for the future storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) under the North Sea.
Switzerland must better protect whistleblowers, says OECD
This content was published on
Switzerland must step up its anti-corruption efforts and provide better protection for whistleblowers while increasing fines for guilty firms, an OECD anti-bribery group says.
This content was published on
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
This content was published on
Harmless vacation photo or criminal content? Swiss federal police need to make this decision thousands of times per year.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.