French government recommends against using foreign chat apps

Prime Minister of France Élisabeth Borne signed a circular last week requesting all government employees to uninstall foreign communication apps such as Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram by December 8, 2023, in favor of a French messaging app named 'Olvid.' The guideline addressed to ministers, secretaries of state, chiefs of staff, and cabinet members proposes that they instead install and use the Olvid app made by a French company. BleepingComputer discussed the development with French journalists, who clarified that this isn't a ban on using foreign messaging apps but rather a recommendation to switch to locally developed software. Olvid supports end-to-end encrypted messages, uses a decentralized infrastructure, and doesn't require a phone number or any other personal data for registration. Hence, it is seen as a more trustworthy option that includes all the key features of its more renowned and widely used competitors. "The main consumer instant messaging applications occupy a growing place in our daily communications. However, these digital tools are not devoid of security vulnerabilities and therefore do not ensure the security of conversations and information shared through them," reads the PM's address, according to Le Point published excerpts. "To counter the threats that arise from using these applications, the French company Olvid has developed instant messaging which guarantees the protection of its users' data thanks to a decentralized directory and end-to-end mes...