We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#1

Post by donutpepperoni » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 1:58 AM UTC

We intercepted the White House app's network traffic
atomic.computer

Re: We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#2

Post by gruez » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 2:31 AM UTC

So like... most b2c apps out there? I checked app privacy report for a few such apps I have installed and also got a very high proportion of third party domains. Maybe not as high as 77% but definitely above 50% (ie. more domains are third party than first party). The most surprising part here is them refusing to put correct info in the "data collected" section of the app store listing.

edit: they seemed to have updated the store listing, so the "data collected" section is correct.

Re: We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#3

Post by iterateoften » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 2:37 AM UTC

gruez wrote: post #2

So like... most b2c apps out there? I checked app privacy report for a few such apps I have installed and also got a very high proportion of third party domains. Maybe not as high as 77% but definitely above 50% (ie. more domains are third party than first party). The most surprising part here is them refusing to put correct info in the "data collected" section of the app store listing. edit: they seemed to have upda…

A government app being built like b2c is exactly the problem

Re: We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#4

Post by tr_user » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 2:39 AM UTC

gruez wrote: post #2

So like... most b2c apps out there? I checked app privacy report for a few such apps I have installed and also got a very high proportion of third party domains. Maybe not as high as 77% but definitely above 50% (ie. more domains are third party than first party). The most surprising part here is them refusing to put correct info in the "data collected" section of the app store listing. edit: they seemed to have upda…

[flagged]

Re: We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#5

Post by Cider9986 » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 2:40 AM UTC

Some previous discussion. I think this one is worth a read as well, though.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47555556 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47577761

Re: We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#6

Post by jmalicki » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 2:42 AM UTC

tr_user wrote: post #4

gruez wrote: post #2

So like... most b2c apps out there? I checked app privacy report for a few such apps I have installed and also got a very high proportion of third party domains. Maybe not as high as 77% but definitely above 50% (ie. more domains are third party than first party). The most surprising part here is them refusing to put correct info in the "data collected" section of the app store listing. edit: they seemed to have upda…

[flagged]

The government should outsource way more of their traffic to third parties than a business should, since the government is inefficient, right?

Re: We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#7

Post by refulgentis » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 2:44 AM UTC

gruez wrote: post #2

So like... most b2c apps out there? I checked app privacy report for a few such apps I have installed and also got a very high proportion of third party domains. Maybe not as high as 77% but definitely above 50% (ie. more domains are third party than first party). The most surprising part here is them refusing to put correct info in the "data collected" section of the app store listing. edit: they seemed to have upda…

Right, the White House is collecting data and sending it to Huawei, and overall collection rate is worse than any other app you’ve seen by a wide margin.

That makes me net more surprised after reading your comment.

You're not surprised the white house is worse than any other app you've seen by 20%?

Re: We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#8

Post by gruez » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 2:44 AM UTC

tr_user wrote: post #4

gruez wrote: post #2

So like... most b2c apps out there? I checked app privacy report for a few such apps I have installed and also got a very high proportion of third party domains. Maybe not as high as 77% but definitely above 50% (ie. more domains are third party than first party). The most surprising part here is them refusing to put correct info in the "data collected" section of the app store listing. edit: they seemed to have upda…

[flagged]

No. Stop putting words in my mouth.

Re: We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#9

Post by amazingman » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 2:45 AM UTC

jmalicki wrote: post #6

tr_user wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

The government should outsource way more of their traffic to third parties than a business should, since the government is inefficient, right?

Poe's Law strikes again. I legitimately can't tell if this is sarcasm.

Re: We intercepted the White House app's network traffic

#10

Post by gruez » Wed, Apr 01, 2026, 2:49 AM UTC

iterateoften wrote: post #3

gruez wrote: post #2

So like... most b2c apps out there? I checked app privacy report for a few such apps I have installed and also got a very high proportion of third party domains. Maybe not as high as 77% but definitely above 50% (ie. more domains are third party than first party). The most surprising part here is them refusing to put correct info in the "data collected" section of the app store listing. edit: they seemed to have upda…

A government app being built like b2c is exactly the problem

I'm sure that HN's preferred app would be <5MB, and has zero third party SDKs or telemetry, but half a dozen SDKs and third party domains is basically most mass market apps these days. Is it bad? Yes, but the whitehouse isn't being egregiously bad, but "whitehouse app is bad, just like most other apps" isn't going to get clicks.