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The growing list of European organisations that ban personal messaging apps at work
From German factories in 2018 to entire governments in 2026 — the organisations that decided work conversations don't belong on personal apps.
July 8th, 2026
If using personal messaging apps for work has ever felt a bit wrong to you, you're not alone. In surveys, around seven out of ten office workers¹ say they share work information over these apps. And many of us have had the same quiet question while typing: should this conversation really happen here?
That feeling makes sense. The real risks come down to two things: control over the channel, and a record of your conversations (a "paper trail") when your organisation needs one. On a personal app, your organisation cannot decide what is kept and what is deleted. It cannot control who is part of a conversation. And it cannot show last year's messages when a regulator, a court, or a customer dispute requires them.
A growing number of European organisations have understood this and acted on it. What started as a data-protection question in German industry has become, year by year, a question of record-keeping, compliance, and digital sovereignty across Europe. We have collected the cases below and the list covers both formal bans and formal restrictions.
We plan to keep this list up to date. If you know an organisation that belongs on it, send us a message (hello@birdy.chat) and we will add it to the list.
Organisation
Organisation
Announcement
Announcement
Year
Year
Reason
Reason
Belgian federal government
Belgian federal government
Press coverage
Press coverage
2026
2026
Sovereignty, data control
Sovereignty, data control
Scottish Government
Scottish Government
Official announcement
Official announcement
2025
2025
Record-keeping
Record-keeping
NatWest Group
NatWest Group
Press coverage
Press coverage
2024
2024
Record-keeping
Record-keeping
French government
French government
Press coverage
Press coverage
2023
2023
Sovereignty, security
Sovereignty, security
UK central government
UK central government
Official guidance
Official guidance
2023
2023
Records, security
Records, security
Norwegian government
Norwegian government
Press coverage
Press coverage
2023
2023
Security
Security
Swiss Armed Forces
Swiss Armed Forces
Press coverage
Press coverage
2023
2023
Sovereignty
Sovereignty
Swiss police
Swiss police
Press coverage
Press coverage
2022
2022
Sovereignty, privacy
Sovereignty, privacy
Austrian Armed Forces
Austrian Armed Forces
Press coverage
Press coverage
2022
2022
Security
Security
German federal ministries
German federal ministries
Press coverage
Press coverage
2020
2020
GDPR, metadata transfers
GDPR, metadata transfers
German Armed Forces
German Armed Forces
Press coverage
Press coverage
2020
2020
Security
Security
European Commission²
European Commission²
Press coverage
Press coverage
2020
2020
Security
Security
European Ext. Action Service
European Ext. Action Service
Press coverage
Press coverage
2020
2020
Security
Security
Dutch central government
Dutch central government
Official policy page
Official policy page
2020
2020
Record-keeping
Record-keeping
German education authorities
German education authorities
Official guidance
Official guidance
2013-2019
2013-2019
Data protection
Data protection
Lower Saxony police
Lower Saxony police
Press coverage
Press coverage
2019
2019
Data protection
Data protection
Swiss federal administration
Swiss federal administration
Press coverage
Press coverage
2019
2019
Confidentiality
Confidentiality
Continental
Continental
Press coverage
Press coverage
2018
2018
GDPR
GDPR
Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Press coverage
Press coverage
2018
2018
Data protection
Data protection
BMW
BMW
Press coverage
Press coverage
2018
2018
Data protection
Data protection
Allianz
Allianz
Press coverage
Press coverage
2018
2018
Data protection
Data protection
Commerzbank
Commerzbank
Press coverage
Press coverage
2018
2018
Data protection
Data protection
Fraport
Fraport
Press coverage
Press coverage
2018
2018
Data protection
Data protection
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank
Press coverage
Press coverage
2017
2017
Record-keeping
Record-keeping
Notes:¹ our survey found that 75% of professionals use personal chat apps at work while a survey of 12k people in 2021 found that 71% professionals share business-critical data on instant messaging apps.
75% of professionals use personal chat apps
71% professionals share business-critical data
² European Commission (2020): formally recommended a switch to Signal, not a ban of messaging apps.
Productively yours,Rolands
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©️ Fyello Productivity SIA
🇪🇺 Made in Europe
About Us
Pricing
Community
Blog
Press Kit
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
CSAE Policy