X Denies French Criminal Probe, Calls Investigation Politically Motivated

Elon Musk's social media platform X is refusing to cooperate with a French criminal investigation into alleged manipulation of its recommendation algorithm and data extraction, calling the probe politically motivated and a threat to free speech. The investigation, launched after complaints from French politician Eric Bothorel and a cybersecurity official, centers on accusations that X's algorithm amplifies hateful and biased content, potentially influencing French political discourse. X denies these allegations, asserting it has a legal right to withhold its recommendation algorithm and real-time user data from French authorities, whom it accuses of bias in selecting experts to review the data. French prosecutors are investigating potential crimes including altering automated data processing systems and fraudulent data extraction, with penalties that could reach up to 10 years in prison. Bothorel has criticized Musk's personal interventions on the platform and warned about reduced diversity of voices since Musk's acquisition of X in 2022. X maintains that the probe distorts French law to serve a political agenda aimed at restricting free speech rather than addressing legitimate concerns about algorithmic bias.