French Prime Minister Advises Ministers to Switch from WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal to Paris-Made Alternative

02 Dec, 2023

French Prime Minister Advises Ministers to Switch from WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal to Paris-Made Alternative

France's Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, has directed cabinet members to abandon widely used instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram. Instead, she advocates for Olvid, a lesser-known Parisian startup product, emphasizing its superior security features. In an official communication circulated to ministers, Borne's office confirmed reports, urging them to install the Olvid app on mobile devices and computers. This shift aims to heighten the security of exchanges involving sensitive or confidential information, according to the Prime Minister's office.

"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 statement noted.

Olvid, led by two cryptography researchers and supported by French tech accelerators, imposes a deadline of December 8 for ministers to replace existing messaging apps, as revealed by the French magazine Le Point. Prime Minister Borne expressed concerns about vulnerabilities in mainstream messaging apps, emphasizing their inability to ensure conversation and information security. Popular platforms like Meta's WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal have permeated French political communication, prompting the government to shift to these apps, even in interactions with journalists. Allegedly, President Emmanuel Macron himself extensively uses these messaging applications.

Olvid positions itself as a messaging system free from reliance on trusted third parties or centralized servers, encrypting user metadata for enhanced security. The startup distinguishes itself through its commitment to robust security measures.