The French government builds own encrypted messenger service

France has built its own encrypted messenger service to ensure that foreign actors couldn’t spy on private conversations between top officials. The development of the app was motivated by the risk of data breaches of major encrypted messaging application servers, which are based outside of France. The app has been developed on the basis of free-to-use code and designed by a state-employed developer. The service is currently being tested by some 20 officials and top civil servants, and its use will be mandatory for the whole government by the summer. There is also a possibility that the service will eventually made available to all French citizens.