French authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, over suspicions that its algorithm was manipulated to aid foreign interference efforts.
Magistrate Laure Beccuau confirmed on Friday that the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating potential breaches of French law by X, specifically relating to the unlawful use of its algorithm to gather user data.
The probe follows two formal complaints submitted on January 12 to the cybercrime division of the Paris prosecutor’s office. One was filed by MP Éric Bothorel, affiliated with President Emmanuel Macron’s political alliance Ensemble Pour La République. The second came from a high-ranking government official whose name has not been made public.
In a post shared Friday on X, Bothorel explained his concerns, saying he believed the platform had developed an “extreme informational bias” that appeared to align with Elon Musk’s political leanings. He suggested this bias was only possible through algorithmic manipulation. He welcomed the judicial response, praising it as a vital move in combating foreign meddling in public discourse.
On Wednesday, the case was handed over to the General Directorate of the National Gendarmerie, officially launching the investigation.
Authorities are looking into two key allegations: the manipulation of an automated data processing system by an organized group, and the illicit extraction of data from such a system, also by an organized group. The J3 unit, France’s specialized cybercrime division, will oversee the investigation. This is the same unit that carried out the operation leading to the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in August 2024.
X Under Increasing Regulatory Pressure in Europe
Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of X in 2022, the platform has repeatedly clashed with European regulators. In one recent case, a Berlin court ruled in favor of two German NGOs, compelling X to share public engagement data to aid research into election interference risks.
Meanwhile, the European Union is conducting a separate probe into whether X has violated the Digital Services Act—a sweeping new regulation requiring major online platforms to remove illegal content and provide greater algorithmic transparency.
Musk’s vision of turning X into a cryptocurrency-powered financial ecosystem may be at risk as regulatory pressure across Europe continues to build. Trust from regulators will be essential if the company hopes to expand financial services within the EU.
For more news, find me on Twitter Giannis Andreou and subscribe to My channels Youtube and Rumble
What is your opinion on this particular topic? Leave us your comment below! We are always interested in your opinion!
