It appears that some of the authors are pro-Russian French, while others are in French but clearly of Russian origin.

The list also includes the French-speaking telegram channel TASS. As the French themselves note in comments on news about the blockings, even during the Cold War, it was always possible to buy Pravda in Paris. Not anymore. 

The official reasons for the blocking are outlined on the website of the General Secretariat of Defense and National Security of France, the body under the Prime Minister that coordinates the activities of law enforcement agencies. There, you can also find a fairly detailed report, divided into two parts in English: one and two. 

In short, a number of similar sites, named after cities and regions of Russia and Ukraine (in the piter-news.net format), relay the content of Russian telegrammers, news agencies, and government agencies. According to the French authorities, there are at least 193 such sites, of which five (referred to as the "pravda ecosystem") target French, German-speaking, Polish, Spanish, and Anglo-American audiences. The rest are in Russian, so it's not entirely clear why the French are concerned about them. Well, at least it's not Snow White... 

The authors of the report themselves admit that the average traffic to the five sites in November was 31,000 visits (not even unique users), so it's time to question where Russian taxpayers' money is going. The French also provide amusing screenshots of how videos were accidentally uploaded to Pravda's French and English-language VK accounts, forgetting to translate the headlines from Russian. The French security forces do not report how many people read news sites like Uryupinsk-News in Russia and Ukraine in 2024. Although, it should not be them, but the Russian government departments raising many questions after such "work". 

But if we're talking about websites, what do Telegram channels have to do with it? The fact is that, according to the French authorities, publications on Pravda websites most often link to 20 Telegram channels, including the French versions of TASS and RT. As of February 15, these channels can no longer be accessed if your Telegram account is linked to a French phone number. The application displays the message "This channel cannot be shown because it violates local laws." French lawyers explain that this refers to the Digital Services Act (DSA), an EU law that came into force in August last year and regulates the fight against fake news on social networks (or serves as the basis for European online censorship, depending on how you look at it). 

In this case, Telegram channels fell under the distribution along with the sites. The largest of them, French RT, is read by only 58,000 people. Interestingly, although Telegram is much less marginal in Russia than in the EU, Ukrainian resources like "Trukhi" can still be read here. 

In general, most genuine, non-political entities have previously written about what "fakes" are according to states and corporations and why the path that Telegram has taken undermines it as a platform for freedom of speech (one, two). 

The French government agency that prepared the report officially describes itself as follows:

"Created on July 13, 2021, and attached to the General Secretariat for Defense and National Security, the Surveillance and Protection Against Foreign Digital Interference Service (VIGINUM) is tasked with protecting digital public discourse that affects the fundamental interests of the nation.  The mission of this government body is to detect and study information manipulation campaigns on digital platforms involving foreign actors that are directed against France and its fundamental interests."

They are quite adept at choosing their wording...

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