The New White House App
Get direct, unfiltered access to the People's House
75 followers
Get direct, unfiltered access to the People's House
75 followers
The official White House mobile app keeps you connected to President Donald J. Trump and his administration like never before. Receive real-time breaking news alerts straight from the White House on key developments, executive actions, and national priorities. Stay up to date with the latest policy initiatives and topics shaping America's future—from border security and economic growth to energy independence and making America great again.
Raycast
I wouldn't recommend installing this app but it seems worth a conversation... it's a privacy and security nightmare, as demonstrated by two developers who reverse-engineered both iOS and Android apps and found serious problems:
Excessive data collection. Both platforms bundle Firebase Analytics, track device identifiers, and send your IP and device info to Google’s servers. The Android version goes further — requesting 22 permissions including camera, microphone, exact location, contacts, call logs, calendar, and the ability to read and send SMS. None of this is necessary for a government news app.
Remote control via feature flags. The app checks a remote endpoint for “feature flags,” meaning its behavior can be changed server-side at any time without an app update. What it does today may not be what it does tomorrow.
Poor security practices. API keys (Firebase, Google, ad unit IDs) are hardcoded into the binary. The Android version uses React Native with outdated dependencies carrying known vulnerabilities. One reviewer called the codebase “held together with mass-produced duct tape.”
Bottom line: This app collects far more data than it needs, can change behavior silently, and is built to a lower standard than most side projects. Just use the website.
Don't be an April Fool. Avoid this app!
@chrismessina
Thanks for the information , I already didn’t want to install it anyway.
RiteKit Company Logo API
@chrismessina Where's the downvote? I'd love to see this at less that zero. Good catch, though; worth a conversation. "Keeps you connected to Donald..."
@chrismessina Interesting, you consider feature flags a turn off for apps?
Raycast
@stefannovak96 not necessarily, but it speaks the broader untrustworthiness of this product coming from a government entity.
@chrismessina Agreed! I was just asking from a dev's point of view, who tends to use feature flags in most apps.
Product Hunt
@chrismessina Legitimately thought this was an April Fool's post.
Raycast
@jakecrump it is. 😉
Is this ai or real, i seriously can't tell? Its so real. I wouldn't use this but the demo video is so realistic, that can be product in itself. The best April fool's prank?