Digital Sovereignty and Security

Edward Snowden's 2013 revelations about NSA surveillance crystallized French concerns about digital sovereignty. The realization that most internet traffic, even between French users, transited through American servers sparked demands for "sovereign" infrastructure. These concerns weren't merely paranoid—they reflected genuine vulnerabilities in depending on foreign-controlled networks.

France's response combined technological and policy innovations. The Andromède project aimed to create a French cloud computing champion, though with mixed success. More effective were requirements for data localization and investment in French data centers. OVHcloud, founded in 1999, became Europe's largest cloud provider, offering an alternative to American giants.

Cybersecurity became a national priority. ANSSI (Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d'information), created in 2009, coordinates French cyber defense. Its approach—combining military expertise, academic research, and private sector cooperation—created a distinctive French cybersecurity ecosystem. French companies like Thales and Atos compete globally in security markets.

The debate over 5G deployment illustrated persistent sovereignty concerns. While some advocated banning Chinese equipment entirely, France chose a nuanced approach—gradual phase-out in sensitive areas while avoiding immediate disruption. This balanced security concerns with economic realities, typical of French pragmatism.