French authorities have raided the Paris offices of Elon Musk’s social media platform X as part of a wide-ranging criminal investigation into alleged cyber offences, according to BBC News, citing statements from the Paris prosecutor’s cybercrime unit.
The investigation began in January 2025, initially focusing on content recommended by X’s algorithm, before later expanding to include the platform’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. Prosecutors said the probe now covers multiple suspected offences, including unlawful data extraction and potential failures to prevent the circulation of illegal content.
According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, investigators are examining whether X may be complicit in the possession or organised distribution of pornographic images involving children, the infringement of image rights through sexual deepfakes, and fraudulent data extraction carried out by an organised group.
As part of the inquiry, Elon Musk and former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino have been summoned to appear at hearings scheduled for April. X has not yet issued an official response to the raid. However, the company has previously described the investigation as politically motivated and characterised it as an attack on free speech.
When the scope of the probe was widened in July 2025, X denied manipulating its algorithm and rejected allegations of wrongdoing, according to earlier company statements cited by BBC News.
In an unusual move, the Paris prosecutor’s office also announced that it would no longer use X for official communications, stating it would instead publish updates via LinkedIn and Instagram.
UK and EU Scrutiny Intensifies
The French investigation comes as regulators in the United Kingdom and the European Union increase scrutiny of X and its parent company, xAI. According to the UK media regulator Ofcom, investigations are ongoing into the sharing of sexual deepfake images created using Grok, which were widely circulated earlier this year.
The images, often generated using real photographs of women without their consent, triggered criticism from victims, online safety advocates, and politicians. While X later intervened to restrict the practice, Ofcom said it continues to treat the matter as urgent.
According to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), a separate investigation has been launched in coordination with Ofcom to examine how personal data may have been processed by Grok.
“The reports about Grok raise deeply troubling questions about how people’s personal data has been used to generate intimate or sexualised images without their knowledge or consent,” said William Malcolm, the ICO’s executive director for regulatory risk and innovation.
At the European level, the European Commission announced in late January that it had opened an investigation into xAI. A Commission spokesperson said Brussels is in contact with French authorities regarding the search of X’s offices in Paris.
Debate Over Free Speech
The investigation has sparked debate over digital regulation and freedom of expression. According to BBC News, Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticised French authorities, accusing France of criminally persecuting social media platforms that give users greater freedom.
Durov was himself arrested in France in August 2024 over alleged moderation failures on Telegram, before being allowed to leave the country after the platform agreed to operational changes, including sharing some user data with authorities.
As investigations continue across France, the UK and the European Union, the case against X highlights growing regulatory pressure on major technology platforms over algorithms, artificial intelligence and online harms.
