French Authorities Raid Elon Musk's X Offices in Paris: Investigation into Social Media Platform's Algorithm and Content Recommendations
French authorities have raided Elon Musk's X offices in Paris and have summoned him for questioning in connection with an investigation into his social media platform. The raid was conducted by cybercrime officers with assistance from Europol as part of a probe into the platform's algorithm and content recommendations. The investigation, which began in January 2025, has since expanded due to allegations of Holocaust denial and sexually explicit deepfakes associated with X's AI chatbot, Grok. Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino have been asked to appear at a hearing in April by the Paris prosecutor's office.
X has previously defended itself against the investigation, claiming it is an attack on free speech. The platform denied allegations of manipulating its algorithm and fraudulent data extraction. Despite the raid on Tuesday, X has not issued a public statement, and inquiries for comment from the Daily Beast remain unanswered. The platform had accused French lawmaker Eric Bothorel of undermining its right to due process and users' rights to privacy and free speech, calling his allegations of algorithm manipulation for foreign interference purposes false.
Bothorel welcomed the raid on X, emphasizing the importance of the Rule of Law and European regulations in France. He expressed satisfaction that his complaint from January 2025 was being acted upon. The prosecutor's office announced the raid on X's French premises and stated that it would no longer use the platform. The investigation, which has been ongoing for a year, has now expanded to include concerns about child pornographic images and potential violations of image rights related to X's AI chatbot, Grok.
Authorities are conducting the investigation with the goal of ensuring that the X platform complies with French laws while operating in the country. The prosecutor's office emphasized a constructive approach to the investigation, aiming to address any potential legal issues. The Daily Beast encourages individuals with tips related to this matter to come forward.