Elon Musk did not appear before French prosecutors on Monday after being formally summoned for questioning in an investigation into the alleged misuse of his social media platform X.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed his absence on 20 April, making clear that the billionaire did not attend the scheduled proceedings.
In a statement, prosecutors said they had “acknowledged the absence of the first individuals summoned”, adding that “their presence or absence does not impede the continuation of the investigation”.
Authorities did not disclose the exact time or location of the summons. Musk has previously described the French case as a “political attack.”
Musk, together with former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino, was summoned in his capacity as both de facto (in practice) and de jure (according to law) manager of the platform at the time of the alleged offences.
The investigation, opened in January 2025, is being led by the National Cyber Unit of the French Gendarmerie.
Prosecutors say the probe concerns potential violations of French law, which X is required to comply with while operating on French territory. Allegations include possible complicity in the distribution of child sexual abuse material and the creation or dissemination of sexually explicit deepfake images generated using artificial intelligence without victims’ consent.
Investigators are also examining X’s AI chatbot, Grok, focusing on whether it was used to produce or facilitate such content.
Monday’s hearing was classified as a voluntary interview, meaning authorities sought to question Musk without placing him under arrest. However, despite this classification, attendance under such a summons is, in principle, mandatory.
At this stage, French prosecutors do not have the legal power to forcibly compel Musk to appear.
Legal experts note that repeated failure to respond to a summons may nonetheless prompt authorities to escalate proceedings, including the possibility of placing the individual in police custody at a later stage.
Musk did not publicly explain his absence, and his representatives could not be reached for comment ahead of the hearing. He has consistently denied the allegations.
The summons followed a February raid on X’s Paris offices, where cybercrime investigators seized materials linked to suspected fraudulent data extraction and alleged manipulation of content algorithms.
Initially focused on technical data issues, the investigation was later expanded to include deepfake creation and potential failures in content moderation.
The case has intensified tensions between European regulators and U.S. technology firms over free speech, platform governance and data protection.
Reports suggest the U.S. Department of Justice declined to cooperate, viewing the probe as politically motivated in a written letter. The Paris prosecutor’s office said it was unaware of the letter, while reaffirming the independence of France’s judiciary.
The same French cybercrime unit overseeing the investigation into X previously arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durovin 2024 on charges including alleged complicity in organised criminal activity carried out through the messaging platform. Durov’s lawyer dismissed the accusations at the time as “absurd.”
In a post on X late on Monday, Durov criticised the French authorities, stating that “France is losing legitimacy as it weaponises criminal investigations to suppress free speech and privacy.”
The case has unfolded amid broader transatlantic tensions, with U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly accusing European governments of unfairly targeting American technology companies through fines, taxation and regulation.
Former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino and several current and former X employees have also been summoned, as the investigation continues despite Musk’s failure to appear.
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