Elon Musk’s platform X has said it will not comply with the demands of French authorities in relation to an ongoing investigation announced last week by the Paris public prosecutor, according to a statement published on Monday.
On 11 July, the Paris prosecutor’s office stated that the investigation targets the platform X, a legal entity associated with it, and several individuals, though it did not disclose the names of those involved, according to a press release issued by prosecutor Laure Beccuau.
The preliminary investigation was launched earlier this year amid suspicions of foreign interference. Musk and other senior figures at X leaders are suspected of deliberately disrupting data processing and engaging in fraudulent data extraction “as part of organised crime”, as previously reported by Euractiv.
However, X announced on Monday that it would not comply with the demands of the authorities “as we have a legal right to do so”, according to a statement posted on the platform.
X described the investigation as “politically motivated” and denied all allegations.
“X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda, and ultimately restrict free speech,” the statement read, without elaborating on what that agenda might be.
The platform further criticised those involved in the investigation, including individuals who requested access to its recommendation system. It implied that the investigation lacked impartiality and expressed “serious concerns” about the process.
French authorities are pursuing two probes into the platform. Should those under investigation be found guilty, they could face up to 10 years in prison and a €300,000 fine, according to the French penal code.
Separately, the Commission met with representatives of X last week, following reports that its chatbot, Grok, was spreading hate speech and antisemitic content. However, it remains unclear whether this meeting will lead to a further investigation under the Commission’s ongoing probe into X’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Paris prosecutor’s office formally requested on 19 July that X share its algorithm, according to a statement emailed Monday. The letter also instructed the French Gendarmerie to conduct technical verification of the investigation and outlined a secure, confidential process for transferring the data.
(aw)
