X says French accusations of data tampering and fraud are politically motivated

Key Points

• X denies French prosecutors’ accusations of data tampering and fraud, calling the investigation politically motivated.
• Paris prosecutors opened a cybercrime probe into alleged manipulation of X’s algorithm and “fraudulent data extraction” based on tips from an MP and a senior government official.
• The platform says it remains unaware of specific allegations and criticizes the probe for providing scant details.
• X argues the investigation distorts French law to serve a political agenda and ultimately restrict free speech.

PARIS (AP) — Elon Musk's social media platform X on Monday denied accusations from French prosecutors of alleged data tampering and fraud, calling them politically motivated.

X was responding to an announcement earlier this month from the Paris prosecutor’s office, which said it was opening an investigation into the two alleged offenses.

Both offenses involved an "automated data processing system," according to prosecutors, who provided scant details of the alleged wrongdoing. They are potentially punishable in France with a jail term of up to 10 years.

The platform said French authorities were carrying out a "politically-motivated criminal investigation into X over the alleged manipulation of its algorithm and alleged ‘fraudulent data extraction’.”

“X categorically denies these allegations,” it said in a post from its Global Government Affairs account.

The prosecutor’s office has said it acted on information that two people provided in January to its cybercrimes unit. One of them is a member of parliament, and the other is a senior official in a French government institution. It didn’t identify them or the institution.

Prosecutors said the two people alleged suspected use of X’s algorithm for the “purposes of foreign interference,” without providing details.

The platform said it “remains in the dark” about the the specific allegations. “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.”

The Paris prosecutor’s office said Monday that it has asked X to grant police investigators access to its algorithm, as part of the probe.

The request was made in a letter last week, it said. It said that “investigators are bound by confidentiality and that only those in charge of the investigation will have access.”

The office said it hasn’t had a formal response from X.