French ministers have been ordered to ditch WhatsApp for a homegrown alternative in a push for “technological sovereignty”.
Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne has told ministers and top officials to switch to Olvid, which Ms Borne’s office claimed was more secure than popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal.
Government officials have been told “to replace other instant messaging services in order to strengthen the security of exchanges”.
A circular from Ms Borne’s office said: “The main consumer instant messaging applications are playing an increasingly important role in our day-to-day communications. However, these digital tools are not without security flaws, and so cannot guarantee the security of conversations and information shared via them.
“The integration of this solution constitutes not only a sign of awareness in matters of cybersecurity, but also a step towards greater French technological sovereignty.”
French politicians have long held concerns about over-reliance on American technology. The state funded an attempt to build a French search engine, Quaero, in the late 2000s and has pushed for domestic capabilities in semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
Olvid’s website claims it allows users to “free yourself from foreign solutions subject to extraterritorial laws”, such as America’s Cloud Act, which compels US tech companies to give up data stored on foreign servers.
The French government is so sensitive to its culture and language that it becomes completely tone deaf to reality.
Should be criminal for a state official to use foreign technology whilst in office, if there are alternatives. Especially US, Chinese or Russian technology.
Seems fair
This is just the French being French. I know a couple of dutch entrepreneurs that didnt get a contract in France because there was also a French company that tried to get a contract.
I understand wanting government officials to use communications methods that are more under the control of their state. It makes a kind of sense from a security perspective.
If the goal is to increase the popularity of French technology then it’s a useless gesture but if by “technological sovereignty” they mean utilizing less foreign technology for their state infrastructure including day to day communication then I can understand where they’re coming from.
Are French officials going to stop using iOS or Android phones in the push for ‘technological sovereignty’, because both of those (Google & Apple) are American companies ?
The French state has its long and weird history of opposing real secure encryption, continuing through to today. Do French solutions have designed-in backdoors for French intelligence services? “better french backdoors than american/russian/chinese/british backdoors” may be the French line of course, but the idea of not having historical-french-style insanely weakened/backdoored encryption in the first place may not cross their minds… I guess Olvid is apparently open source, maybe it’s fine, but then again France.
Frankly I would switch immediately if there was an alternative to WhatsApp that isn’t telegram.
Apple thingy doesn’t work, you barely see anyone with apple 🍎 in Europe
That is such a quintessentially French thing to do, it could be from a satire.
Are they going to write their own OS as well? You think Google and Apple can’t be forced to snoop on you by the US gov?
Signal is where its at.
Open source. Complete privacy. Free
I am one of very few people in the country where I reside (the Netherlands) that does not use WhatsApp. I think it is absurd that people–including businesses and the like–expect you to use proprietary protocols for communication. I also do not use the Google or Apple stores on my phone. It’s ridiculous that this has become the norm in the way that it has.
France also has that law (correct me if I’m wrong) of sports events happening have to be “narrated” or “presented” in French. Although there might be security benefits to only use French stuff in apps and communications they do seem very proud and very anti foreign stuff if they can make it in France.
What will they use then? Queapp?
To be fair the french need to start using whatsapp before they can be told to ditch it. Having said that, I believe no government worker should ever use tools developed outside of their country, specially in sensitive positions.
Didn’t they try in the past to create some sort of French Google which was rapidly ignored because it was crap
They just want to know what the officials are talking about. Signal is very secure
22 comments
***The Telegraph’s James Titcomb reports:***
French ministers have been ordered to ditch WhatsApp for a homegrown alternative in a push for “technological sovereignty”.
Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne has told ministers and top officials to switch to Olvid, which Ms Borne’s office claimed was more secure than popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal.
Government officials have been told “to replace other instant messaging services in order to strengthen the security of exchanges”.
A circular from Ms Borne’s office said: “The main consumer instant messaging applications are playing an increasingly important role in our day-to-day communications. However, these digital tools are not without security flaws, and so cannot guarantee the security of conversations and information shared via them.
“The integration of this solution constitutes not only a sign of awareness in matters of cybersecurity, but also a step towards greater French technological sovereignty.”
French politicians have long held concerns about over-reliance on American technology. The state funded an attempt to build a French search engine, Quaero, in the late 2000s and has pushed for domestic capabilities in semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
Olvid’s website claims it allows users to “free yourself from foreign solutions subject to extraterritorial laws”, such as America’s Cloud Act, which compels US tech companies to give up data stored on foreign servers.
**Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/11/30/french-officials-told-stop-using-whatsapp-push-sovereignty/**
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What is French alternative?
what products are there?
The French government is so sensitive to its culture and language that it becomes completely tone deaf to reality.
Should be criminal for a state official to use foreign technology whilst in office, if there are alternatives. Especially US, Chinese or Russian technology.
Seems fair
This is just the French being French. I know a couple of dutch entrepreneurs that didnt get a contract in France because there was also a French company that tried to get a contract.
I understand wanting government officials to use communications methods that are more under the control of their state. It makes a kind of sense from a security perspective.
If the goal is to increase the popularity of French technology then it’s a useless gesture but if by “technological sovereignty” they mean utilizing less foreign technology for their state infrastructure including day to day communication then I can understand where they’re coming from.
Are French officials going to stop using iOS or Android phones in the push for ‘technological sovereignty’, because both of those (Google & Apple) are American companies ?
The French state has its long and weird history of opposing real secure encryption, continuing through to today. Do French solutions have designed-in backdoors for French intelligence services? “better french backdoors than american/russian/chinese/british backdoors” may be the French line of course, but the idea of not having historical-french-style insanely weakened/backdoored encryption in the first place may not cross their minds… I guess Olvid is apparently open source, maybe it’s fine, but then again France.
Frankly I would switch immediately if there was an alternative to WhatsApp that isn’t telegram.
Apple thingy doesn’t work, you barely see anyone with apple 🍎 in Europe
That is such a quintessentially French thing to do, it could be from a satire.
Are they going to write their own OS as well? You think Google and Apple can’t be forced to snoop on you by the US gov?
Signal is where its at.
Open source. Complete privacy. Free
I am one of very few people in the country where I reside (the Netherlands) that does not use WhatsApp. I think it is absurd that people–including businesses and the like–expect you to use proprietary protocols for communication. I also do not use the Google or Apple stores on my phone. It’s ridiculous that this has become the norm in the way that it has.
France also has that law (correct me if I’m wrong) of sports events happening have to be “narrated” or “presented” in French. Although there might be security benefits to only use French stuff in apps and communications they do seem very proud and very anti foreign stuff if they can make it in France.
What will they use then? Queapp?
To be fair the french need to start using whatsapp before they can be told to ditch it. Having said that, I believe no government worker should ever use tools developed outside of their country, specially in sensitive positions.
Didn’t they try in the past to create some sort of French Google which was rapidly ignored because it was crap
They just want to know what the officials are talking about. Signal is very secure
and use minitel instead hehe