The state orders its ministers onto Olvid — and warns them off Signal
Circular 6428/SG of 22 November 2023: government members and cabinets must use the French app Olvid; WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram are out. The argument is sovereignty — not security against Signal.
Summary
The prime minister’s circular of 22.11.2023 mandated Olvid on the phones and computers of ministers and cabinet staff. Olvid is the only messenger accredited by ANSSI (France’s cyber agency). The stated reason is sovereign control over the infrastructure. Critics (including the EGE observatory) note: Signal’s encryption is not weaker — it is merely not French. This is industrial policy dressed as security. Signal remains fully legal for citizens.
Debunking
False: “Signal is insecure.” — No evidence. Olvid was chosen for being French and ANSSI-certified — a sovereignty argument, not a technical case against Signal.
Also false: “France banned Signal.” — The circular binds government members, not citizens. For private users Signal remains the conservative choice.