French authorities have taken a major step in their investigation into social media platform X by searching its office in Paris. The action was carried out by the Paris prosecutor’s cybercrime unit as part of a probe into suspected offences, including unlawful data extraction and alleged complicity in the possession of child pornography.
The prosecutor’s office said the investigation began in January 2025 after concerns were raised about content recommended by X’s algorithm. The scope was later expanded to include the platform’s AI chatbot Grok. In an official statement, prosecutors confirmed that Elon Musk and former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino have both been summoned to appear at hearings scheduled for April.
X has not issued a fresh response to the latest development, though it has earlier described the investigation as an attack on free speech. A news organisation has approached the company for comment. In July 2025, when the probe was widened, X called the move “politically-motivated” and rejected claims that it had manipulated its algorithm. Prosecutors are now examining whether the platform may have violated the law in several areas, including alleged complicity in the possession or organised distribution of child pornographic images, violations of image rights linked to sexual deepfakes, and fraudulent data extraction by an organised group. The prosecutor’s office also said it would stop using X and communicate instead via LinkedIn and Instagram.
In a related development, UK authorities have updated their investigations into sexual deepfake images created using Grok and shared on X. The images, often made using real photos of women without consent, triggered criticism in January from victims, safety campaigners and politicians. Ofcom said it is treating the case as “a matter of urgency” but noted it currently lacks powers to investigate chatbots directly. The Information Commissioner’s Office said it is launching a joint probe with Ofcom into the handling of personal data, with William Malcom stating, “The reports about Grok raise deeply troubling questions about how people’s personal data has been used to generate intimate or sexualised images without their knowledge or consent, and whether the necessary safeguards were put in place to prevent this.” In late January, the European Commission also confirmed an investigation into X parent company xAI and said it is in contact with French authorities.
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