18 Apr France Builds Own Version of WhatsApp, Telegram
It was reported last Monday that France is building its own encrypted messaging system as an alternative to WhatsApp and Telegram which, according to the government, carry the risk of a data leak.
The move is said to have been prompted by Facebook’s recent privacy scandal, as well as the EU’s concerns over the social network’s access to WhatsApp user data which had led to a lawsuit in Germany, and a warning from French privacy watchdog CNIL. The French government also pointed out that both WhatsApp and Telegram are not based in the country and therefore, heightens the risk of overseas breaches.
A ministry spokesperson said that a state-employed developer is working on the app which will be tested by 20 officials and top civil servants. The app may be made mandatory to the government as early as this summer after which it will be launched to the French public.
Source: CNET
