Instant messaging: Matignon to require Olvid for government employees

On November 22, 2023, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne sent a circular to ministries, secretaries of State, heads of staff and cabinet members, demanding they refrain from using foreign instant messaging services and, starting from December 8, 2023, opt for Olvid, a French private sector solution. They will also be allowed to use Tchap, a secure app developed for French civil servants three years ago.

Without naming them, the French executive wants to ban WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram from French government, even though the apps are widely used by politicians. “These digital tools are not without security flaws and therefore cannot guarantee secure conversations and information sharing,” reads the order.

“In order to counter threats arising from the use of these apps, the French firm Olvid has developed an instant messaging service that protects its users’ data thanks to decentralized directories and end-to-end encryption, while offering the same features as current apps,” added the prime minister.

Designed by a fifteen-person Parisian startup, Olvid was granted first-level security certification by ANSSI in 2020. The app provides native, end-to-end encryption for all conversations, but also all metadata.