France Bans BlackBerries In Govt. On Fears of Spying

DesertBlade writes "French government officials are no longer allowed to use BlackBerries for official correspondence. The reason? Fear that the US government will snoop out French national secrets via RIM's network. From the article: '"The risks of interception are real. It is economic war," daily Le Monde quoted Alain Juillet, in charge of economic intelligence for the government, as saying. With BlackBerries, there is "a problem with the protection of information," he said. Juillet's office confirmed that he spoke to Le Monde but said he would not talk to other reporters. Officials at the presidential Elysee Palace and the prime minister's office were not immediately available for comment. Le Monde said information sent from BlackBerries goes through servers in the United States and Britain, and that France fears that the U.S. National Security Agency can snoop.'"

Comments

Failed economic policy? Point the finger!

[Syncerus]

Given the disastrous track record of the French economy under Socialist policies, one would think the French economic gurus might want to focus more on economic fundamentals and basic Capitalist theory rather than indulge in paranoid conspiracy theories.

Of course, then they might be held accountable for their policy failures ...

"Intelligence Community"

[nurb432]

Existed before this administration, and will exist after it.

Geesh. Your blind hatred makes you look silly.

US Govt is bull in china shop

[rebmemeR]

If the NSA or other US govt agency really has been eavesdropping on other governments' blackberry communication, then we have an example of the US govt doing damage to private enterprise (blackberry). And now that the spying has been publicly noted, the US govt isn't going to get any useful information through that channel. Congratulations to US govt for another brilliant foreign policy "success" during this administration.