Key points
- X says investigation threatens its users’ free speech
- It denies all allegations and says it will not cooperate
- Probe follows complaints of foreign interference in French politics
ISLAMABAD: US officials issued a harsh condemnation Friday of France’s criminal investigation into the social network X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, on suspicion of foreign interference.
“As part of a criminal investigation, an activist French prosecutor is requesting information on X’s proprietary algorithm and has classified X as an ‘organized crime group,'” the US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour wrote on their X account.
As part of a criminal investigation, an activist French prosecutor is requesting information on X’s proprietary algorithm and has classified X as an “organized crime group.” Democratic governments should allow all voices to be heard, not silence speech they dislike. The United… https://t.co/LN6sFAYSQh
— Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, & Labor (DRL) (@StateDRL) July 25, 2025
“Democratic governments should allow all voices to be heard, not silence speech they dislike. The United States will defend the free speech of all Americans against acts of foreign censorship.”
Paris cybercrime prosecutors called for the police probe on July 11 to investigate suspected crimes — including manipulating and extracting data from automated systems “as part of a criminal gang.”
“Politically-motivated criminal investigation”
According to Reuters, X on Monday accused French prosecutors of launching a “politically-motivated criminal investigation” that threatens its users’ free speech, denying all allegations against it and saying it would not cooperate with the probe.
“Based on what we know so far, X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech,” X posted on its Global Government Affairs account.
French authorities have launched a politically-motivated criminal investigation into X over the alleged manipulation of its algorithm and alleged “fraudulent data extraction.” X categorically denies these allegations.
This investigation, instigated by French politician Eric…
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) July 21, 2025
As a result, X said it had refused Paris prosecutors’ request for “access to X’s recommendation algorithm and real-time data … as we have a legal right to do.”
The investigation follows two January complaints that alleged the X algorithm had been used for foreign interference in French politics, according to AFP.
Musk’s “personal interventions”
One of the complaints came from Eric Bothorel, an MP from President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party, who complained of “reduced diversity of voices and options” and Musk’s “personal interventions” in the platform’s management since he took it over.
Soupçons de manipulation d’algorithme : le député Eric Bothorel dénonce le “bras d’honneur” de X à la justice française. https://t.co/44XWNGjMre
— Éric Bothorel #FreeCécileKohler (@ebothorel) July 21, 2025
Tesla and SpaceX chief Musk has raised hackles with his forays into European politics, including vocal backing for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of February legislative elections.
“Democracy is too fragile to let digital platform owners tell us what to think, who to vote for or even who to hate,” Bothorel said after the investigation was announced.
