X accuses French prosecutors of political probe over algorithm and data access

Elon Musk's X has accused French prosecutors of launching a politically-driven criminal investigation into its platform, saying it will not cooperate with what it sees as an attack on free speech.

Social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, said Monday it would not cooperate with a French investigation that it claims is politically motivated and intended to restrict free expression. The company denied all allegations and rejected a judicial request to share access to its algorithm and real-time user data.

The dispute follows a move by Paris prosecutors earlier this month to escalate a preliminary probe into suspected algorithmic bias and data extraction at X. Under the expanded powers, police may conduct searches, wiretaps, or even summon Musk and other X executives for testimony. Non-compliance could lead to arrest warrants.

“X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech,” the company posted on its Global Government Affairs account.

In response to the July 19 judicial request for algorithm access, X said it had legal grounds to refuse and criticised the decision to investigate under organised crime statutes. These allow broad surveillance measures, including access to personal devices of company staff.

The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed it had sent a formal request to X, stating it offered a secure, confidential channel for investigators. It declined to comment on allegations of political bias but noted that failure to comply could lead to charges including obstruction of justice.

The probe was reportedly initiated following complaints from French lawmaker Eric Bothorel, who accused X of manipulating its recommendation algorithm to promote foreign interference. X strongly denied the charge and labelled it "completely false".

Bothorel defended the judiciary’s independence and said that France upheld free speech within legal bounds. “The absence of responsibility and oversight endangers freedom just as much as prohibitions and censorship do,” he said.

X also objected to the involvement of researchers David Chavalarias and Maziyar Panahi, who it said had shown hostility toward the platform. While Chavalarias did not respond, Panahi denied any role in the investigation and threatened legal action over what he called a false and damaging mention.

Elon Musk reposted a message by Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who wrote: “At this point, any tech company can be declared a ‘criminal gang’ in France. A decade of efforts to attract tech investment is being undone by a few bureaucrats advancing their careers and political agendas — at the expense of the French people.”

The case adds to ongoing scrutiny from the European Commission, which has been investigating X for possible violations of the Digital Services Act since late 2023. Musk has previously accused European governments of suppressing right-wing views and has criticised efforts to regulate content online.

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