French Police Raid X Offices in Paris Amid Algorithmic Manipulation Probe

French police conducted raids on X's Paris offices this morning as part of a criminal investigation into alleged algorithmic manipulation by foreign powers. The Paris prosecutor's office (Parquet de Paris) announced the action on Tuesday, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing probe that began in January 2025.

The investigation stems from two complaints - one from a French parliament member and another from a senior official at an unnamed public institution. Prosecutors are investigating allegations of organized disruption of automated data processing systems and fraudulent data extraction, essentially examining whether X allowed foreign powers to manipulate its algorithm.

In July, the case was handed to national police, and the probe later expanded to include X's Grok AI chatbot. Prosecutors claim Grok disseminated Holocaust denial content and sexually explicit deepfakes, raising serious concerns about the platform's content moderation and AI safety measures.

As the investigation involves organized crime allegations, French police have been granted enhanced powers including wiretapping and surveillance of X executives. This level of authority underscores the seriousness with which French authorities are treating these allegations.

X has strongly pushed back against the investigation, describing it in a July statement as an attack on free speech that distorted domestic law to "serve a political agenda." The company has not yet responded to requests for comment following today's raid announcement.

International Regulatory Pressure Mounts

The Paris prosecutor's office has summoned both Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino to voluntary interviews on April 20, 2026, with other X employees summoned throughout that week. This move gives the current and former social media executives the opportunity to present their case as prosecutors pursue criminal charges.

Beyond organized crime concerns, potential charges facing X include:

• Possession and dissemination of child pornography
• Infringing people's rights through the creation of sexual deepfakes
• Denial of crimes against humanity

In a symbolic move, Parquet de Paris confirmed it will close its social media account on X, directing followers to LinkedIn or Instagram instead. This decision reflects growing institutional distrust of the platform.

Global Investigation Wave

The French probe is part of a broader international regulatory crackdown on X's Grok AI system. The European Commission, UK, Australia, Canada, and India have all opened investigations into Grok following widespread criticism of its illicit image-generation capabilities.

Digital rights organizations have called on Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores due to these concerns, though neither company has complied with these requests so far.

This raid represents one of the most aggressive regulatory actions taken against a major social media platform in recent years, particularly given the enhanced investigative powers granted to French authorities under the organized crime framework. The outcome could have significant implications for how social media companies operate globally and their responsibilities regarding algorithmic transparency and content moderation.

The case also highlights the growing tension between tech companies' claims of protecting free speech and governments' obligations to protect citizens from harmful content and foreign interference. As the April interviews approach, all eyes will be on how X's leadership responds to these serious allegations and what this means for the future of social media regulation worldwide.