https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The rollout of high-speed fibre internet across France enters a new phase this year as more of the old copper ADSL connections will be switched off - so how well served are French towns and cities when it comes to internet speeds? https://www.thelocal.fr/20260128/latest-how-is-frances-high-speed-internet-rollout-going Wed, 28 Jan 2026 13:49:22 +0100 latest-how-is-frances-high-speed-internet-rollout-going French cyber experts have warned of an increasing number of scams based on fake QR codes, found at locations including filling stations, restaurants and scam post office emails. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260114/warning-over-fake-qr-code-scams-in-france Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:53:15 +0100 warning-over-fake-qr-code-scams-in-france France is developing domestic production of electric vehicle batteries with an eye on industrial independence but Asian experts are proving key in launching operations. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251210/frances-battery-valley-makes-use-of-asian-experts Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:07:50 +0100 frances-battery-valley-makes-use-of-asian-experts The French government has denied claims that the personal details of millions of people who used the official ANTS website have been hacked and are now for sale on the dark web. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250922/data-from-french-government-ants-website-not-for-sale-on-the-dark-web Mon, 22 Sep 2025 16:38:43 +0200 data-from-french-government-ants-website-not-for-sale-on-the-dark-web A child psychologist and a former French Prime Minister have issued a call for a ‘state of emergency’ against screen time for young people. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250502/frances-ex-pm-calls-state-of-emergency-over-childrens-screen-use Fri, 02 May 2025 13:38:40 +0200 frances-ex-pm-calls-state-of-emergency-over-childrens-screen-use France’s senators passed a bill in November to cut down the number of cold calls householders get. The proposed law will be debated in the Assembly next month – but the question is: could this one actually work? https://www.thelocal.fr/20250207/french-mps-consider-another-bill-to-clamp-down-on-cold-calls Fri, 07 Feb 2025 15:03:00 +0100 french-mps-consider-another-bill-to-clamp-down-on-cold-calls France's national internet provider has unveiled its calendar for disconnecting the country's broadband internet cables in favour of high-speed fibre connections. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250127/calendar-france-begins-work-to-disconnect-adsl-internet-cables Mon, 27 Jan 2025 15:16:52 +0100 calendar-france-begins-work-to-disconnect-adsl-internet-cables France's second largest mobile phone provider has revealed that it has been the victim of a massive hack in which customer information - personal details and bank details - were stolen. Here's who this affects and what to do. https://www.thelocal.fr/20241028/french-phone-companys-bank-details-hack-who-is-affected Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:39:52 +0100 french-phone-companys-bank-details-hack-who-is-affected France has launched a cyberbullying probe following a complaint by Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif, who was at the centre of a gender controversy at the Paris Olympic Games, prosecutors said on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240814/french-prosecutors-launch-probe-into-alleged-cyberbullying-of-olympic-boxer Wed, 14 Aug 2024 14:08:47 +0200 french-prosecutors-launch-probe-into-alleged-cyberbullying-of-olympic-boxer Planes were gradually taking off again Saturday after global airlines, banks and media were thrown into turmoil by one of the biggest IT crashes in recent years, caused by an update to an antivirus programme. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240721/flights-resume-after-global-it-crash-wreaks-havoc Sun, 21 Jul 2024 08:44:31 +0200 flights-resume-after-global-it-crash-wreaks-havoc Businesses across Europe - including airports, airlines and other transport operators - have been hit by major IT problems caused by a rogue software update. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240719/breaking-european-travel-services-hit-by-major-global-it-glitch Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:46:53 +0200 breaking-european-travel-services-hit-by-major-global-it-glitch France's national postal service, La Poste, was experiencing a nationwide IT outage on Tuesday, according to reports by French media, with customers unable to send or receive parcels. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240716/french-postal-service-hit-by-nationwide-it-outage Tue, 16 Jul 2024 18:33:11 +0200 french-postal-service-hit-by-nationwide-it-outage France's government blocked the app TikTok on the French island of Nouvelle-Calédonie, in response to rioting. Politicians claim social media has played a vital role in organising and encouraging the violence, but does this give them the authority to cut off the internet? https://www.thelocal.fr/20240522/can-the-french-government-cut-the-internet-during-riots Wed, 22 May 2024 12:09:52 +0200 can-the-french-government-cut-the-internet-during-riots France’s pivot to an increasingly digital future is continuing apace and next thing to be 'dematerialised' is driving licences. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230517/frances-new-digital-driving-licence-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work Wed, 17 May 2023 17:37:35 +0200 frances-new-digital-driving-licence-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work The French Senate's website was offline on Friday after pro-Russian hackers claimed to have taken it down, in just the latest such cyberattack since Russia invaded Ukraine last year. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230505/pro-russian-hackers-claim-downing-of-french-senate-website Fri, 05 May 2023 16:46:57 +0200 pro-russian-hackers-claim-downing-of-french-senate-website One in five French households still does not have access to reliable, very high-speed internet, according to a new study by a consumer rights group, who is calling for a legal right to super-fast internet. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230418/one-in-five-french-households-still-lacking-very-high-speed-internet Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:02:43 +0200 one-in-five-french-households-still-lacking-very-high-speed-internet Cold-callers in France have been subject to new restrictions since the beginning of March, thanks to a new law taking effect. https://www.thelocal.fr/20221014/telephone-canvassing-in-france-to-be-banned-on-weekends-and-public-holidays Fri, 14 Oct 2022 18:26:59 +0200 telephone-canvassing-in-france-to-be-banned-on-weekends-and-public-holidays France's strict privacy rules affect many aspects of daily life - from taking photos in a public place to flying a drone, installing CCTV at your home to using online cookies. Here's a look at what the law says. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230224/cctv-drones-and-online-cookies-how-frances-strict-privacy-rules-work Fri, 24 Feb 2023 17:21:30 +0100 cctv-drones-and-online-cookies-how-frances-strict-privacy-rules-work The French government is launching a new anti-scam filter to try and deal with the "unbearable" level of online scams that consumers in France are subjected to. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230220/french-government-to-launch-anti-scam-filter Mon, 20 Feb 2023 16:54:56 +0100 french-government-to-launch-anti-scam-filter If you find yourself in France during a strike, do not fear. Here are some apps that will help you get around. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230116/10-apps-to-make-your-life-easier-during-a-french-strike Mon, 16 Jan 2023 18:26:12 +0100 10-apps-to-make-your-life-easier-during-a-french-strike