France is taking state actions against GrapheneOS?

Nature of the “state action” and evidence

• The original concern comes from French media articles linking GrapheneOS (or products claiming to use it) to drug traffickers and “darknet” distribution, citing unnamed police sources.
• Commenters note these are insinuations rather than clear descriptions of formal legal steps (no explicit mention of new laws, raids, or prosecutions against GrapheneOS itself in the press).
• GrapheneOS’s own statement claims French state agencies and law enforcement are making inaccurate, libelous claims and explicitly threatening to treat them like two named “secure phone” companies whose servers were seized and whose operators faced criminal charges if GrapheneOS doesn’t “cooperate” (interpreted as providing access/backdoors).
• Some participants remain unsure what concrete actions have actually occurred beyond press and alleged threats.

Media, politics, and possible coordination

• Several comments frame the newspapers involved as right‑wing, oligarch-owned outlets that profit from fear‑mongering about crime and security, comparing them to partisan media elsewhere.
• Others emphasize that while French media receive public subsidies, that doesn’t automatically make them direct state tools; they are seen more as instruments of their private owners.
• A few see the coverage as part of broader pressure against privacy tech and an intimidation phase before formal enforcement; others demand stronger evidence of coordinated state–media conspiracy.

GrapheneOS’s response and jurisdiction strategy

• GrapheneOS says it is proactively withdrawing from France (e.g., moving services away from OVH) to avoid being caught in hostile legal actions.
• Some support this as the only rational move when laws or enforcement climates become unacceptable.
• Others warn this makes it easy for governments or powerful media to effectively “self‑censor” such projects by creating pressure, noting that French citizens still deserve access to strong privacy tools.

Troll/bot behavior in the Mastodon thread

• Much discussion centers on an aggressive, possibly unstable or bot-like account attacking GrapheneOS in the Mastodon thread.
• Many criticize GrapheneOS for repeatedly engaging, which amplified the noise due to Mastodon/Twitter-style UX.
• GrapheneOS explains it tries to avoid bans unless absolutely necessary because bans have previously led to escalations such as harassment, CSAM spam, and even swatting.

Broader themes: privacy, crime, and authoritarianism

• Multiple comments see this as part of a global trend: governments and aligned corporate interests becoming increasingly hostile to strong privacy because it impedes mass surveillance and easy phone searches.
• Several note that privacy tech is inherently “double‑edged” (used by both citizens and criminals), arguing that this should strengthen, not weaken, the case for a legal right to robust encryption.
• Others attribute the environment to rising authoritarianism and right‑wing populism exploiting crime fears, rather than any single coordinated cabal.

Media engagement and PR

• Some argue GrapheneOS needs professional PR to handle hostile or leading media questions and to shape the narrative early.
• Others insist one should “never talk to journalists,” claiming narratives are usually pre‑decided and media will twist statements. There is disagreement over whether engaging the press can meaningfully mitigate political and legal risk.

User and European context

• Several commenters praise GrapheneOS’s technical quality and daily usability, seeing French hostility as an unintended endorsement.
• There’s discussion that the EU could instead fund an Android‑derived, privacy‑respecting OS as a sovereignty project, with mandated support from banks and state apps—making current pressure on GrapheneOS seem especially misplaced.