PARIS :Elon Musk’s X on Monday accused French prosecutors of launching a “politically-motivated criminal investigation” that threatens its users’ free speech, denying all allegations against it and saying it would not cooperate with the probe.
Earlier this month, Paris prosecutors stepped up a preliminary probe into the social media platform for suspected algorithmic bias and fraudulent data extraction, authorising police to conduct searches, wiretaps and surveillance against Musk and X executives, or summon them to testify. If they do not comply, a judge could issue an arrest warrant.
“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 social network posted on its Global Government Affairs account.
“For these reasons, X has not acceded to the French authorities’ demands, as we have a legal right to do.”
It was not immediately clear what sort of request prosecutors had sent to X, but failure to comply with a judicial request can range from a fine to obstruction of justice charges.
The Paris prosecutors’ office did not respond to a request for comment.
X said the probe had been instigated by Eric Bothorel, a French lawmaker, who had accused X of “manipulating its algorithm for ‘foreign interference’ purposes”, an allegation it said was “completely false”.
Bothorel, in a statement, defended the independence of the French judiciary.
“It’s a concept that seems completely upended in the United States at the moment,” he said, adding that France was committed to free speech but not without limits. “The absence of responsibility and oversight endangers freedom just as much as prohibitions and censorship do.”
Musk, a former ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, has accused European governments of attacking free speech and has voiced support for some of the region’s far-right parties.
The French probe could deepen a rift between Washington and European capitals over what sort of discourse is permitted online, with senior U.S. officials alleging the censoring of right-wing voices around the world.
The European Commission has been investigating X for breaching its digital transparency rules against illegal content, known as the Digital Services Act, since late 2023.
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X said Paris prosecutors had requested it hand over data on all user posts for analysis by researchers David Chavalarias and Maziyar Panahi, who it said had both exhibited “open hostility towards X”.
Chavalarias did not respond to a request for comment. Panahi denied any involvement in the investigation.
“My name was mentioned by mistake, based on my previous research projects with David Chavalarias, none of which have ever had any hostile intent toward X,” he said in an email.
“The fact my name has been mentioned in such an erroneous manner demonstrates how little regard they have for the lives of others … I will not hesitate to pursue legal action for defamation should I receive any form of hate speech.”
X did not respond to a request for comment on Panahi’s statement.
X also criticised the fact that it was being investigated under organised crime charges, which could allow police to wiretap its employees’ personal devices.
