French police have launched an investigation into claims that social media platform X, formerly Twitter, manipulated its algorithm in a way that may have enabled foreign interference, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Friday.
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the inquiry would scrutinise the actions of the company and its senior executives following two complaints filed in January. While Beccuau did not name Elon Musk directly, both complaints reference alleged interference since his 2022 acquisition of the platform.
One of the complaints was lodged by centrist MP Eric Bothorel, a member of President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party and a specialist in cybersecurity. He warned of “recent changes to the X algorithm” and raised concerns about Musk’s direct involvement in the platform’s management.
Bothorel claimed the algorithm modifications had led to a reduction in the diversity of voices on the platform, undermining its role in promoting a safe and respectful digital environment. He also criticised the lack of transparency surrounding content moderation decisions and the criteria behind algorithmic changes.
“This presents a real danger and a threat to our democracies,” he warned.
French newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné reported in February that the second complaint came from a cybersecurity director within the public sector. The complainant cited “a major modification” in the X algorithm, alleging it now amplifies “hateful, racist, anti-LGBTQ and homophobic political content” aimed at distorting democratic discourse in France.
Following verification by French researchers and additional information from political institutions, prosecutors opened a formal investigation. The probe is currently focused on suspected organised manipulation of an automated data system.
While the alleged offences are not yet classified under France’s new 2024 foreign interference law, that status could change as the investigation progresses.
X’s France director, Laurent Buanec, defended the company’s practices in a January 22 statement, insisting the platform has “strict, clear, and public rules” to combat hate speech and disinformation. He added that the algorithm is designed to prevent exposure to harmful content.
Nonetheless, Elon Musk has drawn criticism from European officials for weighing in on domestic politics, particularly in Germany and the UK, where he expressed support for the far-right AfD party. Former EU digital commissioner Thierry Breton described such actions as a form of “foreign interference.”
The European Commission began an investigation into X in December 2023 and accused the platform in July 2024 of breaching digital services regulations. X could face multi-billion-euro fines if found guilty.