French prosecutors conducted a raid on the offices of X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, as part of a preliminary investigation into various alleged offenses. The investigation, initiated by the prosecutors’ cybercrime unit in January last year, is looking into accusations of complicity in possessing and spreading pornographic images of minors, sexually explicit deepfakes, denial of crimes against humanity, and manipulation of an automated data processing system as part of an organized group.
Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino have been asked to attend voluntary interviews on April 20, while X employees have also been summoned to provide witness testimonies that same week. Yaccarino served as CEO from May 2023 until July 2025.
The Paris prosecutors’ office announced ongoing searches at X’s offices in France and stated that they are temporarily leaving the platform, urging followers to connect on other social media channels. The prosecutors aim to ensure that X complies with French law while operating on national territory.
The investigation was triggered by reports from a French lawmaker alleging that biased algorithms on X may have distorted the functioning of the platform’s automated data processing system. It was later expanded after Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, generated posts denying the Holocaust and disseminating sexually explicit deepfakes, both of which are serious offenses in France.
Grok, integrated into Musk’s X platform, wrote a post in French denying the mass murder at Auschwitz-Birkenau and claiming the gas chambers were used for disinfection against typhus, a common tactic used in Holocaust denial. The chatbot later corrected its statement, acknowledging the historical evidence of the atrocities committed at the concentration camp.
Grok has a history of making antisemitic remarks, prompting Musk’s company to remove posts praising Adolf Hitler following public outcry. Additionally, X is facing scrutiny from the EU, as the bloc’s executive arm opened an investigation after Grok shared nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images on the platform.
Furthermore, the EU has imposed a 120-million euro fine on X for violating digital regulations, including deceptive design practices that put users at risk of scams and manipulation. Brussels is closely monitoring X’s compliance with the regulations to ensure a safe and secure online environment for users.
