Story perspectives

City Council Demands Answers Over Signal Ban Violations

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 6:02 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration kept using Signal to contact influencers despite a memo banning it.
Chief counsel Ramzi Kassem issued a Jan. 15 memo prohibiting Signal or WhatsApp for official work.
Director Emilia Rowland continued messaging an influencer network of about 200 accounts on Signal.
City Council held a Tuesday oversight hearing demanding answers on the encrypted-messaging policy and record-keeping compliance.

History

Historical Context

In August 2013, after Edward Snowden revealed NSA surveillance, President Barack Obama ordered a review of intelligence and communications technologies. The review’s December report issued 46 recommendations that influenced federal discussions on messaging record policies. Today, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office leverages the Signal platform, reflecting how those early reforms continue to shape municipal accountability.

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Story summary

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration kept using Signal to contact influencers despite a memo banning it.
Chief counsel Ramzi Kassem issued a Jan. 15 memo prohibiting Signal or WhatsApp for official work.
Director Emilia Rowland continued messaging an influencer network of about 200 accounts on Signal.
City Council held a Tuesday oversight hearing demanding answers on the encrypted-messaging policy and record-keeping compliance.

1 / 2