France Mandates Domestic Video Platform, Bans US Tech for Officials
France is implementing a comprehensive ban on American videoconferencing platforms for government officials, marking the latest escalation in Europe's push for digital sovereignty amid growing concerns over dependency on US technology services.The French government will prohibit public officials from using platforms including Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, requiring them instead to adopt Visio, a domestically developed videoconferencing solution created by the country's Interministerial Digital Authority (Dinum), according to government sources.The directive, expected to be published within days, represents a significant shift in France's digital infrastructure strategy. Visio operates on servers provided by French company Outscale, ensuring data remains within national borders and under French jurisdiction.The move follows Sunday's announcement by Minister for State Reform David Amiel targeting widespread adoption of the homegrown platform by 2027. This initiative builds upon France's earlier mandate requiring officials to abandon WhatsApp and Telegram in favor of Tchap, a secure messaging service designed exclusively for civil servants.Currently, approximately 40,000 government staff across ministries and subsidiaries, including the French National Centre for Scientific Research, utilize Visio. Dinum aims to expand this user base to 250,000, with plans to monitor compliance and potentially block access to foreign video platforms through state internet networks.The policy shift reflects broader European concerns about technological dependence on American platforms, particularly regarding data security and national sovereignty. As geopolitical tensions intensify, European governments increasingly view control over digital infrastructure as a matter of strategic autonomy.This development signals a potential trend across the European Union, where policymakers are scrutinizing the continent's reliance on US technology giants for critical government communications and data storage.
