Elon Musk's X Challenges French Criminal Investigation on Data Allegations

In a significant legal dispute, Elon Musk's social media platform X has flatly refused to comply with a French criminal investigation that accuses the company of data tampering and fraudulent practices. On July 21, 2025, X publicly denied the allegations, asserting that the investigation is politically motivated and aimed at undermining free speech.

The French inquiry, which commenced in January 2025, follows two distinct complaints - one from a member of the French Parliament and another from a senior official at a public institution. French prosecutors are now focusing on potential offenses related to the manipulation of automated data systems and illicit data extraction from those systems, as stated by the Paris prosecutor's office.

X's global government affairs account released a statement asserting that the allegations of algorithm manipulation and fraudulent data extraction are baseless. The company emphasized its belief that the investigation distorts French law to serve a political agenda rather than uphold justice.

"French authorities have launched a politically-motivated criminal investigation into X over the alleged manipulation of its algorithm and alleged fraudulent data extraction," the platform stated in a post. X claims that it has not been afforded clarity regarding the specific allegations against it, and as such, it will not submit to the prosecutor's demands for access to its recommendation algorithm or real-time user data.

The French inquiry has recently intensified, with the case being transferred to a key unit of France's national police. Prosecutors have asserted that access to X's internal data is essential for experts to analyze the platform's operations and uncover potential misconduct.

The company, however, has raised concerns over the impartiality of the experts designated to review its algorithm, specifically targeting David Chavalarias, Director of the Paris Complex Systems Institute, and Maziyar Panahi, an AI platform leader at ISC-PIF. X accused Chavalarias of running a campaign called "Escape X," which encourages users to abandon the platform, and noted that Panahi has previously collaborated on projects that display hostility toward X.

"The involvement of these individuals raises serious concerns about the impartiality, fairness, and political motivations of the investigation, to put it charitably," X's statement elaborated. The company argues that the predetermined nature of the inquiry undermines the fairness of the process.

In response to the allegations and the ongoing investigation, X has drawn attention to its legal rights, stating that it believes it is justified in refusing to comply with the demands made by French authorities. The platform indicated that this decision is not taken lightly but is based on what it perceives as a distortion of the facts surrounding its operational integrity.

The implications of this legal battle could reverberate beyond France, raising broader questions about the balance of regulation, corporate rights, and freedom of expression in the digital age. As X continues to navigate this complex landscape, the outcomes of this investigation may set critical precedents for the governance of technology companies operating in Europe and potentially worldwide.

While the French prosecutor's office has yet to comment on X's allegations, the situation remains dynamic, with potential repercussions for various stakeholders involved in the tech industry. Industry experts contend that the investigation underscores the increasing scrutiny that social media platforms face regarding their algorithms and data management practices, especially in light of heightened concerns about foreign interference and misinformation.