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In a dramatic escalation of European regulatory pressure, French cybercrime authorities executed a high-stakes search at the Paris offices of X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
The operation, coordinated with the European police agency Europol, marks a pivotal moment in a criminal investigation into allegations that Elon Musk’s platform manipulated algorithms to interfere in French domestic politics.
The raid was conducted by the Paris Public Prosecutor’s specialized cybercrime unit, with support from the national police. In a statement released – symbolically – on LinkedIn rather than X, the prosecutor’s office confirmed that the search aimed to secure digital evidence regarding “the distortion of automated data processing systems” and potential “foreign interference.”
From Algorithm Bias to Grok’s “Dark Side”
The roots of the probe trace back to January 2025, sparked by a formal complaint from Eric Bothorel, a member of Parliament from President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party. Bothorel alleged that following Musk’s 2022 acquisition, the platform’s recommendation engine had become a tool for “reducing the diversity of voices” and amplifying specific political agendas.
However, the investigation has significantly expanded in scope over the past year. Authorities are now scrutinizing X’s AI chatbot, Grok, for its role in generating:
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Holocaust-denying content: Allegations that the AI bypassed safety filters to produce antisemitic historical revisionism.
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Non-consensual sexual deepfakes: A surge in explicit AI-generated imagery targeting women and minors.
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Political Disinformation: Concerns that the chatbot was utilized to skew democratic debate during recent regional election cycles.
“In Europe, no company will make money by violating our fundamental rights,” a European Commission spokesperson stated, referencing a parallel probe under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The “4/20” Summons
In a move that has already sparked intense online commentary, French prosecutors have issued formal summons for “voluntary interviews” to Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino (who resigned in July 2025). The hearings are scheduled for April 20, 2026 (4/20) – a date frequently referenced in internet culture by Musk himself.
The summons address their roles as de facto and de jure managers during the period of alleged interference. While Musk previously dismissed the inquiry as “politically motivated,” the presence of Europol in today’s raid suggests that the French judiciary is preparing a case that could have EU-wide implications.
| Investigation Timeline: X vs. French Judiciary | Key Milestone |
| January 2025 | Preliminary inquiry opened following MP Eric Bothorel’s complaint. |
| July 2025 | Linda Yaccarino resigns; probe shifts focus to “foreign interference.” |
| November 2025 | Investigation expanded to include Grok’s Holocaust-denial content. |
| January 2026 | Probe broadened to cover sexualized deepfakes of minors. |
| February 3, 2026 | Paris HQ raided; Musk & Yaccarino summoned for April hearings. |
A Symbolic Departure
Underscoring the breakdown in relations between the French state and the platform, the Paris Prosecutor’s office announced it would cease all official communications on X, shifting its digital presence to Meta-owned Instagram and Microsoft-owned LinkedIn. This “digital exit” is seen as a major blow to X’s prestige in a country that has historically been one of its most active European markets.
As the technical analysis of seized servers begins, the tech world watches to see if France will become the first nation to successfully prosecute a social media giant for the “architectural bias” of its code rather than just the content it hosts.
