# French Government Faces Backlash Over Ineffective Social Media Monitoring Software The state's new surveillance tool struggles to track viral TikTok content during social unrest. - **Source:** [France Info – Titres](https://www.francetvinfo.fr) - **Published:** 2026-11-05 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/435a9924-b4ee-4519-885b-68112d7f18d0 ## Surveillance Software Fails The French government is facing criticism after its new social media monitoring software, Talkwalker, proved ineffective at tracking viral content on TikTok. Amidst ongoing social unrest, authorities struggle to identify protest calls shared millions of times. This technical failure leaves public officials feeling blind during a critical period of national mobilization. ## Questionable Procurement Choices In May 2025, the government replaced the French provider Visibrain with the Canadian firm Talkwalker. Documents reveal the decision was driven by cost, as the new contract is three times cheaper. However, Talkwalker scored significantly lower in technical evaluations, receiving only 18 out of 30 points compared to its predecessor's higher rating. ## Operational Blind Spots Sources within ministerial monitoring cells describe the current tool as insufficient for modern needs. Agents report relying on manual workarounds, such as creating fake social media accounts, to gather basic intelligence. With the upcoming presidential election, officials express deep concern about the lack of professional tools to monitor public digital discourse. ## Political Criticism Mounts Senator Loïc Kervran has publicly denounced the procurement process as a complete heresy. He criticized the government for prioritizing a North American provider over a domestic French alternative. The senator argues that the entire dossier reflects poor decision-making, especially given the strategic importance of monitoring digital platforms for national security and stability. ## Forced Reliance on Competitors Following a significant monitoring failure on October 17, the Interior Ministry has been forced to re-engage Visibrain, the French company it previously discarded. This emergency measure highlights the inadequacy of the current contract. The government now faces the irony of paying for two separate systems to compensate for the primary software's limitations. ## Contractual and Financial Scope The current contract with Talkwalker remains valid until 2029, with a minimum cost of 3.6 million euros. This figure does not account for the additional expenses incurred by hiring the French competitor to fill the performance gaps. Taxpayers are effectively funding a redundant system that fails to meet basic operational requirements. ## Provider's Official Response Talkwalker defends its platform by stating that no current method guarantees the exhaustive capture of all social media activity. The company cites legal and technical limitations inherent to various platforms, including TikTok. They claim to be actively working on improving performance, despite the ongoing criticism regarding their limited coverage of viral video trends. ## Broader Implications Observed This incident underscores the tension between austerity-driven procurement and the necessity for robust digital intelligence. As social movements increasingly utilize platforms like TikTok for rapid organization, the state's inability to monitor these channels creates a significant governance gap. The situation serves as a case study in the risks of prioritizing cost over technical capability. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.franceinfo.fr/internet/c-est-une-heresie-enquete-sur-le-nouveau-logiciel-de-l-executif-pour-surveiller-les-reseaux-qui-peine-a-reperer-les-videos-virales-sur-tiktok_8269832.html#xtor=RSS-3-[lestitres] — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._