Paris public prosecutors have opened a judicial investigation into Elon Musk and the social media platform X. This escalation to a criminal probe follows Musk's failure to appear for a voluntary interview on April 20 after being summoned by the prosecutor's office.
The investigation centers on the alleged abuse of algorithms and fraudulent data. Prosecutors are specifically probing the distribution of child sexual abuse images, disinformation, and the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes. Additionally, the probe examines alleged complicity in denying crimes against humanity, including Holocaust-denying content linked to the platform's artificial intelligence system, Grok.
The public prosecutor is seeking to place X Corp, xAI, X.AI Holdings Corp, Elon Musk, and former CEO Linda Yaccarino under formal investigation. The prosecutor's office stated that if the targets fail to appear, judges could issue warrants, which would be equivalent to placing them under formal investigation.
Musk has denied the accusations, calling the investigation politically motivated, while X has described the probe as abusive. The legal developments have added to ongoing strains in relations between the United States and Europe over free speech and Big Tech.