In an unexpected turn of events, French authorities have taken a decisive step by raiding the Paris offices of the social media giant X, previously known as Twitter. This raid forms part of a larger investigation initiated in January 2025, targeting a range of serious allegations which include the dissemination of child exploitation material and deepfake content. The involvement of Europol underscores the gravity of the situation, as investigators delve into potential complicity in the denial of crimes against humanity and the manipulation of automated data systems by an organized group. As part of this comprehensive inquiry, Elon Musk, the owner of X, has been summoned for a voluntary interview by French prosecutors.

Prosecutors have notably requested Musk, alongside Linda Yaccarino, to attend voluntary interviews scheduled for April 20, 2026, in Paris. Yaccarino, who stepped down as CEO of X in July last year after a two-year tenure, is being called upon in her capacity as a manager during the period in question. Initially triggered by two complaints at the beginning of 2025, the investigation has since expanded, spurred by criticisms targeting the AI chatbot Grok for its involvement in spreading Holocaust denial content and sexual deepfakes. One noteworthy complaint was lodged by Eric Bothorel, a member of President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party, who expressed concerns over a reduction in diversity of viewpoints on the platform and Musk’s direct interventions in its management.

At the time the investigation was announced, the Paris public prosecutor’s office highlighted potential biases in the platform’s algorithms, which could have distorted automated data processing. Responding to the allegations back in January 2025, Laurent Buanec, X’s director in France, defended the platform, asserting that it adhered to stringent and transparent rules designed to prevent hate speech and misinformation. Meanwhile, Elon Musk dismissed the accusations, labeling the investigation as politically charged. The prosecutor’s office clarified that their efforts are driven by a constructive goal—to ensure that X operates within the bounds of French laws as it continues to function in the country.

The prosecutor’s office also said it was leaving the X social media platform and would communicate on LinkedIn and Instagram from now on. LinkedIn belongs to Microsoft and Instagram to Meta. The prosecutor’s office made this announcement in a post on X itself, though no further details about the specific nature of the algorithm concerns or the scope of the search were provided. X has been under investigation since January 12, 2025, according to local media reports. The prosecutor’s office said the operation was part of efforts to ensure X was complying with French laws. The investigation was then expanded on July 9, 2025, after reports of sexually explicit deepfakes and holocaust denial content circulating on the platform. The social media platform has previously faced backlash in the UK for its artificial intelligence tool Grok and the creation of sexually explicit photos.

Media regulator Ofcom launched a probe into X for the images, while Sir Keir Starmer branded the AI chatbot ‘unlawful’. Mr Musk then restricted Grok’s image editing feature exclusively to paying subscribers, after threats that it could be banned in the UK. While X is yet to comment on Tuesday’s raid, it has previously described the investigation as an attack on free speech. The legally responsible entity for X is based in Ireland; X France manages only communications and public affairs. Brussels has already been investigating possible violations of the Digital Services Act regarding disinformation since December 2023. Conclusions are expected in the coming weeks.