Elon Musk’s social media platform X said Monday it would not comply with a criminal investigation launched by French prosecutors, calling it politically motivated and a threat to free speech.
The company denied all allegations and accused authorities of distorting French law to serve a political agenda.
Paris prosecutors recently escalated a preliminary probe into X, focusing on suspected algorithmic bias and data extraction. Police have been enlisted to investigate possible wrongdoing by the company or its executives.
X said the probe was driven by French lawmaker Eric Bothorel, who accused the platform of manipulating its algorithm for foreign interference, a claim X called false. The platform also said it had a legal right to reject the French government’s requests.
Prosecutors asked X to provide real-time user data and details of its recommendation algorithm for review by researchers David Chavalarias and Maziyar Panahi. X questioned the impartiality of the investigation, saying both researchers had shown hostility toward the platform.
Panahi denied being part of the investigation and said his name was included by mistake due to earlier research projects with Chavalarias. He added that the mention could lead to personal harm and said he may pursue legal action for defamation.
X criticized the use of organized crime laws in the probe, saying such charges could allow French police to wiretap employees’ personal devices. Chavalarias did not respond to a request for comment.
The case could add to growing tensions between the U.S. and European governments over free speech regulations online. Musk has previously accused European leaders of suppressing speech and has voiced support for some far-right parties in the region.
Earlier this month, Musk responded “true” to a post on X in which Telegram founder Pavel Durov said French officials were targeting tech platforms and limiting free expression. Durov is also under investigation in France for alleged organized crime activity on Telegram, which he denies.
