Elon Musk’s X faces criminal probe in France for algorithm concerns

French prosecutors opened an investigation into Elon Musk’s X about accusations that he distorted their algorithms to manipulate the speech that takes place on the social networks platform.

The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office said he received a report from a French legislator on January 12 criticizing X for “biased algorithms” that “had probably distorted the operation of an automated data processing system.”

The magistrates and specialized assistants of the Cybercrime Crimes section of the office have had the task of analyzing the report and carrying out the initial technical controls on the platform, the prosecutor’s office told CNBC Friday, in comments sent by email.

CNBC has contacted X to comment.

X, which was previously known as Twitter, has been persecuted for concerns about deficiencies on moderation of content since Musk bought the platform in 2022 for $ 44 billion.

According French Radio Station FranceinfoThe French legislator who sent the report to the prosecutor’s office was Eric Bothorel, deputy in President Emmanuel Macron’s own, Pour La Republique Party.

Meanwhile, the European Union has been investigating X for possible violations of the Digital Services Law, a law that requires social media companies to address the propagation of harmful content on their platforms.

Last month, the European Commission, which is the EU executive arm, asked X to deliver internal documents about its algorithms before February 15, as part of its ongoing DSA investigation into the company.

X has been accused of manipulating its systems to give the extreme right and politicians greater visibility over other political groups.

Musk has made several public statements in Germany expressing support for the alternative part of the extreme right of the country Für Deutschland (AFD), even making a surprise virtual appearance in a campaign event last month.

The AFD was Hardened second Before the next general elections of February 23 in Germany.