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Musk's X refuses to hand over data in 'politically motivated' French investigation

Why This Matters

Elon Musk's X on Monday denied allegations made by French authorities as part of a criminal investigation into alleged data tampering and fraud.

July 21, 2025
03:28 PM
4 min read
AI Enhanced

From what the evidence shows, What's particularly noteworthy is Elon Musk's X on Monday denied allegations made by French authorities as part of a criminal investigation into alleged data tampering and fraudulent extraction of data.

X said the French investigation is "politically-motivated" and designed to "restrict free speech.

"French secutors started an investigation in January over allegations that the company's algorithm was being used for the purposes of foreign interference (an important development) (an important development).

Dado Ruvic | ReutersElon Musk's X on Monday denied allegations made by French authorities as part of a criminal investigation into alleged data tampering, adding that it would not submit to the secutor's demand to hand over data, given the current landscape.

X's global government affairs account said the French investigation, which ramped up this month, is "politically-motivated" and designed to "restrict free speech.

""French authorities have launched a politically-motivated criminal investigation into X over the alleged manipulation of its algorithm and alleged "fraudulent data extraction," X said in a post on the social media platform.

"X categorically denies these allegations.

Moreover, "French secutors started an investigation in January over allegations that the company's algorithm was being used for the purposes of foreign interference.

Additionally, The be began after two complaints — one from a French member of parliament and another from a senior official at a public institution.

This month, the investigation was handed over to a key unit of France's national police.

Secutors said the investigation would focus on investigating offences of tampering with automated data systems as well as the fraudulent extraction of data from these systems.

Additionally, On the other hand, "French authorities have requested access to X's recommendation algorithm and real-time data all user posts on the platform in order for several 'experts' to analyze the data and purportedly 'uncover the truth' the operation of the X platform," X said.

Musk's social media platform also said it, "remains in the dark as to the specific allegations made" against it.

"However, based on what we know so far, X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech," X said.

However, "For these reasons, X has not acceded to the French authorities' demands, as we have a legal right to do.

What the re reveals is is not a decision that X takes lightly, in today's market environment. However, in this case, the facts speak for themselves (an important development).

Moreover, "In an to CNBC, a spokesperson for the Paris secutor's office said that it had requested that X vide its algorithm, but not access to private data, in order for investigators to "carry out a nical verification of the elements" highlighted by experts and reers in regard to the way data is handled.

However, According to French law, "investigators are bound by secrecy and that only those in charge of the investigation will have access to it," the spokesperson said.

X will have a "secure cess" to communicate with "guarantees of confidentiality," the spokesperson added, given current economic conditions. In its statement, X took fire at two specific individuals.

The analysis reveals company claimed the two "experts" who will review X's algorithm are David Chavalarias, director of the Paris Complex Systems Institute (ISC-PIF) and Maziyar Panahi, an AI platform leader at ISC-PIF (which is quite significant).

However, X noted Chavalarias runs a campaign called "Escape X" which encourages users to leave the social media platform, and said Panahi "has previously participated in re jects with David Chavalarias that demonstrate open hostility towards X (which is quite significant).

" Both reers have indeed been named on a re paper related to X.

However, "The involvement of these individuals raises serious concerns the impartiality, fairness, and political motivations of the investigation, to put it charitably.

Moreover, At the same time, A predetermined outcome is not a fair one," X said. Moreover, CNBC has reached out to both Chavalarias and Panahi, and has yet to receive a on X's statement.

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