A prominent privacy-focused Android project, GrapheneOS, is relocating its infrastructure from France after French police reports accused the operating system of facilitating illicit activities.
The decision stems from internal French police documents, which characterize GrapheneOS as a tool for concealing criminal operations. Authorities allege the system enables “total anonymity,” hindering judicial investigations and digital evidence collection.
French police have expressed growing concern about encrypted technologies used by criminals. They draw parallels between GrapheneOS and dismantled criminal communication networks such as EncroChat and Sky ECC.
GrapheneOS strongly rejected these comparisons. Project developers stated their purpose is to provide a secure mobile experience for general users, journalists, activists, and businesses seeking to protect their data from espionage and vulnerabilities.
The project also criticized France’s broader stance on technology, citing concerns about potential demands for data access and the imposition of backdoors.
What would you do if France's law enforcement demanded access to data on a server in Canada or the US with a warrant? That's what we're concerned about and why we decided we can't use OVH anymore due to their actions, not yours. They referenced SkyECC and Encrochat repeatedly.
— GrapheneOS (@GrapheneOS) November 28, 2025
The developers highlighted GrapheneOS’s open-source nature. They noted its regular contributions to the security of the base Android operating system.
Many security fixes developed by the GrapheneOS team are subsequently integrated by Google into conventional Android, benefiting millions of users globally. The project emphasized that its system operates on standard hardware, such as Google Pixel phones, and not on clandestinely modified devices.
This withdrawal follows a general deterioration in relations between privacy advocates and European security forces. The climate in France was further exacerbated by the recent detention of Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, in French territory.
GrapheneOS developers cited fears of legal repercussions or actions that could compromise the project’s continuity. The main developer and the project’s infrastructure have initiated a migration process to jurisdictions considered safer for privacy software development.
France is heavily pushing for technology within their control which can be forced to include backdoors in the future. France's government pushing for Chat Control while promoting Olvid is not contradictory. France has used OVH to go after companies selling 'secure' phones before.
— GrapheneOS (@GrapheneOS) November 26, 2025