PARIS — French prosecutors searched the French office of joined a cybercrime inquiry into how the platform’s algorithms may influence automated data processing. The Paris prosecutor’s office said the case began after a lawmaker warned that biased systems on Musk’s X could distort an automated data-processing system, Feb. 3, 2026.
Prosecutors said the search was being carried out by the office’s cybercrime unit with Europol support and help from the French police cybercrime division, according to a Reuters report. They also said the prosecutor’s office will stop posting updates on X and instead communicate via LinkedIn and Instagram. Musk’s X did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
What the French search means for Musk’s X
The search marks a sharper phase in a French investigation that has centered on the inner workings of Musk’s X rather than specific posts. Authorities have not publicly described what material was sought, and a search does not indicate charges are imminent. Still, Europol’s involvement highlights how cross-border cooperation is increasingly being used to secure potential digital evidence and assess how large platforms’ ranking systems can affect what users see and share.
EU pressure adds to scrutiny of Musk’s X
The French move lands amid widening European Union scrutiny of recommender systems and AI tools under the Digital Services Act (DSA). In late January, the said it opened a new formal investigation into Grok and X’s recommender systems, including whether risks were assessed and mitigated before rollout in the EU, as detailed in the Commission’s press release. The Commission also said it fined X €120 million in December for DSA transparency breaches, including issues tied to paid verification and researcher access, according to a separate EU announcement.
Musk’s X has said it relies on automated tools and machine learning to enforce rules, alongside user reporting and other measures, in its DSA transparency report. European officials have argued that comparable transparency and data access are necessary to evaluate systemic risks tied to content amplification.
How the case built over time for Musk’s X
French prosecutors first confirmed an inquiry into alleged algorithmic distortions in early 2025 after a complaint from French lawmaker , Reuters reported at the time. By mid-2025, prosecutors escalated the matter, asking investigators to examine potential foreign-interference concerns and alleged data offenses, as described in a account. Musk’s X has rejected wrongdoing and previously called the French action politically motivated, the reported.
French authorities have not said when the search will conclude or whether additional actions will follow. For Musk’s X, the outcome may hinge on what investigators learn about how its systems are designed, tested and deployed in Europe — and how quickly the company can meet growing demands for transparency from both Paris and Brussels.
