WhatsApp, Wickr Seen by Justice Dept. as Tools to Erase Evidence

• DOJ bribery policy establishes corporate guidelines on disappearing messaging apps • Companies can face steeper fines and penalties if apps erase bribery evidence trails

The Justice Department wants companies to discourage employees’ use of apps like Facebook Inc.'s WhatsApp and Wickr that self-delete communication streams after a certain period of time, which can destroy evidence trails.

Companies that allow employees to use disappearing apps for work purposes could lose out on discounted fines or other punishments under a new policy that offers leniency for firms that self-report illegal bribery schemes. The DOJ’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act policy became a ...