France is launching a criminal investigation into American businessman Elon Musk's social media platform X over alleged algorithm manipulation for foreign interference purposes.
According to a TechCrunch report on Friday (11/7), the Paris Prosecutor's Office announced that the national gendarmerie would be tasked with carrying out the investigation.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the investigation was being conducted into X as a legal entity as well as unnamed individuals.
Within the scope of the investigation, he highlighted two potential violations in the form of "alteration of operations" and "fraudulent data extraction" from automated data processing systems by an organized group.
Beccuau added that the investigation was a follow-up to verification and contributions from French researchers and elements brought in by various public institutions.
Paris prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into X in February 2025 following two reports by the prosecutor's office's cybercrime unit about the social network's use of algorithm manipulation for foreign interference purposes.
French MP Éric Bothorel welcomed the news of the continuation of the investigation into platform X.
"I believe that information bias, which is very strong on platform X, favors Elon Musk's political opinions, and this can only be achieved through algorithmic manipulation," he said.
