X is being investigated in France over alleged algorithm manipulation
French officials believe that X’s algorithm prioritized posts that favoured far-right narratives during recent EU elections.
What started as Elon Musk’s self-proclaimed platform for “free speech” is now the subject of a full-blown criminal investigation in France. Prosecutors are probing whether X (formerly Twitter) manipulated its algorithm to sway public opinion in favour of far-right candidates, a move that could fall under “criminal hacking” and carry a 10-year prison sentence under French law and a €300,000 fine if proven.
The probe, led by the national gendarmerie, is looking at possible “foreign interference” and illegal data extraction. It follows a complaint from a French MP, warning that Musk’s involvement in European political discourse poses a threat to democracy. The investigation covers the platform itself, a related legal entity, and several unnamed individuals.
This comes just as X reels from internal turmoil. On the same day the investigation was confirmed, CEO Linda Yaccarino stepped down. Days earlier, Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, made headlines for responding to users with antisemitic content, forcing the company to scrub its system prompt and limit the bot’s access.
French officials are reportedly focused on whether X’s algorithm prioritised posts that favoured far-right narratives during recent EU elections. That concern mirrors broader fears in the West about how algorithms can be exploited for political manipulation. TikTok, for example, has faced scrutiny in the U.S., UK, and EU over how its content recommendations may be shaped by Beijing. Washington has even threatened a nationwide ban unless ByteDance sells its stake.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
What makes France’s case against X different is its criminal dimension. While TikTok and Meta are navigating regulatory heat, Musk’s platform is now being treated as a possible tool of election interference. That marks a sharp escalation in how governments view the role of social media in democracy.
The European Commission has already been investigating X for over a year, and earlier this year expanded the probe to include its algorithm, following Musk’s public interactions with far-right political leaders.
Musk’s vision of an “everything app” powered by AI is quickly colliding with legal and political boundaries. As investigations widen, from Brussels to Paris, the question isn’t just whether X broke the rules, but whether it knowingly crossed the line in shaping the future of public discourse.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
