iMessage, WhatsApp, and Signal: Are Your Teams Using Unmonitored Channels?

Messaging Visibility for Public Sector

What Public Agencies Need To Know About Modern Messaging

If you walked through your office right now and asked ten people how they communicate during the day, chances are at least a few of them would mention texting. Maybe they use iMessage. Maybe WhatsApp. Maybe even Signal. It feels fast, easy, and personal. That’s the point.

But for government agencies and public institutions, there is an important question to ask: are those conversations visible to anyone who needs to review or retain them? Or are they happening in a space where no one can see?

This isn’t about surveillance or micromanaging. It’s about clarity and accountability.

Most Teams Are Using Apps But Most Agencies Aren’t Tracking Them

The truth is, people tend to default to whatever is most convenient. A quick WhatsApp message to a coworker. A text thread with a supervisor. Even an iMessage sent to a vendor. It all blends into the workday.

But here’s the problem. Those messages may be related to official business. And if they are, they may fall under public records laws. If your agency cannot access them when asked, it becomes a compliance issue, not just a workflow choice.

What Does Unmonitored Really Mean

When we talk about “unmonitored channels,” we simply mean communication tools that your agency does not currently have a way to review or retain.

Most of these apps were designed for private, person-to-person use. They were not built for public records retention or legal discovery. There’s no admin dashboard. No simple export. No way to search what was said.

That creates a gap. Not because anyone is doing anything wrong, but because there’s no system in place to support the reality of how people talk.

The Good News: You Don’t Have To Ban These Tools

This is not about forcing people to stop using their phones or switch to clunky platforms. It’s about finding a way to bring visibility to the messages that matter.

Many agencies are now using mobile message capture tools that work behind the scenes. They only log messages from known contacts and ignore everything else. That way, personal messages stay private, and official ones are captured automatically.

Where To Start

If you’re not sure whether your agency has full visibility into mobile messaging, here are a few simple ways to get started:

  • Ask your team what they use most often to communicate

  • Review your current policies to see if mobile messaging is covered

  • Look into tools that can archive mobile messages without requiring extra steps

  • Talk with your IT or legal team about public records expectations

We also put together a short piece on how government agencies are managing BYOD. It might be helpful as you think through next steps.

Want to see how it works today? Grab time with our team here.