Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has strongly opposed a French criminal investigation accusing the company of manipulating its algorithms. X claimed the inquiry was politically motivated and aimed at restricting freedom of speech.
X Refuses French Demands
On Monday, July 21, X issued an official statement accusing French authorities of overreach. The company said it had received a request to hand over access to its recommendation algorithm and detailed “data about all user posts on the platform.”
However, X refused to comply. The platform said it had not received clear details about the accusations. “Based on what we know so far, X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech,” the company stated.
French Prosecutors Explain Investigation
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed it had opened the investigation earlier this month. Officials said the inquiry began after receiving complaints in January from a French Member of Parliament (MP) and a senior official.
The investigation focuses on potential offenses such as “tampering with the functioning of an automated data processing system” and the “fraudulent extraction of data.” Prosecutors admitted they had requested access to X’s algorithm in a letter dated July 19. However, they insisted that they had not asked for any user data.
Lawmaker Behind the Complaint
X alleged that the investigation was pushed by Éric Bothorel, a lawmaker from President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party. Bothorel admitted he had flagged concerns about X to prosecutors. He pointed to the platform’s alleged failure to moderate harmful content and what he described as the “biased promotion of rightwing content.”
Bothorel said, “If the justice system is taking next steps . . . it means they think it is necessary.” He also mentioned Elon Musk’s public support for Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as troubling.
EU Also Examining X’s Practices
This French inquiry comes alongside a separate probe by the European Commission. Brussels is investigating whether X violated the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a law designed to limit harmful online content. Although the investigation is ongoing, the EU has postponed its decision until September.
In related developments, the Commission reportedly raised concerns about Grok, X’s AI chatbot, which may have generated harmful or illegal content. However, no formal investigation into Grok has started yet.
Lawmaker Frustrated with EU’s Slow Action
Bothorel expressed disappointment with the European Union’s delay in enforcing the DSA and the Digital Markets Act (DMA). He said, “It’s disheartening to see the European Union fail to take responsibility when it comes to enforcing — and especially applying— the sanctions regimes that were envisioned under the DSA and DMA.”
He explained that referring the case to French prosecutors was partly meant to pressure the EU to act faster.
X Stands Firm
For now, Musk’s platform maintains its refusal to share its algorithm data. X claims the French investigation is an attempt to limit free speech and silence political viewpoints. The case remains ongoing, as both French and European regulators continue their investigations.