Post by : Meena Ariff

Photo: Reuters

French authorities have deepened their investigation into X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, one of the world’s richest men. This step comes after the Paris prosecutor’s office asked police to investigate possible misuse of computer systems and illegal data extraction by X as a company or by its top executives.

Background of the Investigation

This investigation started in January 2024. At that time, a French lawmaker and a senior government official filed complaints against X. They alleged that the platform was involved in foreign interference, meaning that it could have been used to influence people or spread certain messages that affect France’s internal matters.
On July 9, after reviewing preliminary findings from researchers and public institutions, the Paris prosecutor’s office decided to take the probe further. They asked the police to investigate X as a legal entity (the company itself) and also look at individual executives involved in running X.

What Are the Suspected Crimes?

The alleged crimes that X and its executives might have committed include:

• Organised interference with the functioning of an automated data processing system
• This means that the company may have tampered with computer systems or algorithms in a planned manner, possibly changing how information is shown to users or collected from them.
• Organised fraudulent extraction of data from an automated data processing system
• This refers to taking data without proper permission in a systematic and planned way, which is illegal under French law.

What Can the French Police Do Now?

With this new stage of investigation:

• Police can search the offices of X in France or other places if needed.
• They can conduct wiretaps, which means listening to phone calls or monitoring the electronic communications of X executives.
• They can also put them under physical surveillance to observe their activities.
• The police can summon Elon Musk or any X executive to testify and answer questions.

If they refuse to cooperate or do not appear when called, a judge in France can issue an international arrest warrant against them, which would force them to appear in court.

What Has X Said About This?

So far, X has not responded to any requests for comment on these serious allegations. Elon Musk, who bought X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2022, has often criticised European governments. He has accused them of trying to attack free speech and has openly supported some far-right political parties in Europe.

Wider Impact and Growing Tensions

This investigation could increase tensions between the United States and European countries. It has raised important questions about:

• How much control tech companies should have over online information?
• What types of speech or content should be allowed on social media platforms?

In the past, similar situations have happened with other tech leaders. For example:

Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France last year. He was placed under formal investigation for alleged organised crime activities on his platform. Durov has denied all these accusations and said he is innocent.

Elon Musk had criticised Durov’s arrest and said it was an attack on free speech. This sparked a big debate in the US, and some senior officials who were close to former President Donald Trump also spoke out, supporting Musk’s views on freedom of speech.

Elon Musk’s Recent Political Moves

Elon Musk has used his platform X to support right-wing political parties and causes not just in France but also in Germany and Britain. However, in recent months, Musk has disagreed with former President Trump, especially over the federal budget plans in the US.

Due to these disagreements, Musk is now planning to launch his political party in America. This has surprised many people, as Musk was earlier seen as a strong supporter of Trump’s policies.

What Happens Next?

The coming weeks will be important as:

• French police continue their investigation into the data abuse allegations.
• If evidence is found, X executives, including Musk, could face legal action in France.
• This case could also affect X’s business operations in Europe, where strict laws protect user data and privacy.
• The investigation will further fuel debates about free speech, online safety, and data privacy around the world.