French prosecutors have escalated their investigation into Elon Musk and his social media platform, X, to a formal criminal probe, according to the Paris prosecutor's office.
Key Allegations Under Investigation
The criminal investigation, initiated by French Member of Parliament Éric Bothorel in early 2025, centers on several serious allegations against Musk and X:
- Algorithmic Manipulation: Concerns regarding the alleged use of X's algorithms to influence or interfere with French politics.
- Harmful Content Spread: Allegations that Musk and X knowingly permitted users of the AI chatbot, Grok, to create and disseminate:
- Holocaust denial content.
- Non-consensual sexually explicit deepfake images.
Legal Proceedings and Responses
French authorities issued summons to both Elon Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino for April 20th. However, the prosecutor's office reported that neither individual appeared to answer questions.
- Musk's Reaction: In February, Musk publicly labeled the ongoing inquiry as a "political attack," following a raid on X's Paris office by French authorities.
Context of the Investigations
The scope of scrutiny extends beyond France. Other international jurisdictions, including the California Attorney General's office, are also investigating X and Grok. These probes generally examine whether Musk's companies deliberately allowed the creation and spread of deepfake explicit images, including those involving child sexual abuse material, derived from non-consenting individuals.
- Grok's Integration: Grok is developed by xAI, Musk's AI company, which acquired X. Grok is also integrated into Tesla vehicles.
- US DOJ Stance: Adding complexity, the U.S. Department of Justice reportedly informed French authorities in April that it would not assist in investigating Musk or X, accusing France of inappropriate interference in American business matters.
Representatives for Musk and SpaceX did not immediately comment on the request for comment. Neither the Justice Department nor the Paris prosecutor's office were immediately available for comment.
