[activis]

As I read France set very troublesome restrictions for any software which uses cryptography. As I remember it requires some kind of approval from government, assignment of special code based on documents you provide via mail. And it takes up to 4 month.

[sebsauvage]

Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, PGP, RetroShare and other are freely available in France.

Most notably PGP has been available in France for decade and has never received any form of approval as far as I know.

[activis]

It's not about being available on the internet, it's about being available on the AppStore or Google Play Market which make you comply with French laws.

Just read developer FAQ for the store you want, there is a requirement of "Declaration approval from French ANSSI authorities." which links to http://www.ssi.gouv.fr/en/regulation/cryptology/

"...

However supplying, importing and exporting cryptology means in and from France are regulated activities. These operations are either subject to a declaration or an authorisation process.

ANSSI records declarations and investigates requests for the authorization of cryptology equipment and services in accordance with French and European Community legislation."

So you have to send them ANSSI declaration and get an approval to submit an app to the store.

If you are distributing something through the website which is available everywhere then you can ignore that since there is no entity which would control that you follow French law, but it just a technical details. The law is the same for everyone I believe.

Regarding Telegram, Signal, WhatsApp, etc.: I believe they have sent all the documents and got the permission/registration in all regions they are available in and which require that.

[roblabla]

Source ? I'm french, and I've never heard of this. US used to have silly export laws way back when, but that's been over since 2000.

[activis]

http://www.ssi.gouv.fr/en/regulation/cryptology/

Big app stores like AppStore or Google Play Market make you comply with the law every time you submit an app with cryptography inside.

[sebsauvage]

And Keybase desktop apps are freely downloadable from French IPs, so... ?

[activis]

Keybase desktop apps are not distributed through AppStore or Google Play Market, so there is no one to make them follow French law at that point. While stores should comply and make developers follow all the procedures.

[jwfxpr]

France has removed those restrictions, since 2004.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography_law#France

[activis]

Just check out http://www.ssi.gouv.fr/en/regulation/cryptology/

"...

However supplying, importing and exporting cryptology means in and from France are regulated activities. These operations are either subject to a declaration or an authorisation process.

ANSSI records declarations and investigates requests for the authorisation of cryptology equipment and services in accordance with French and European Community legislation. "