French law enforcement agencies specializing in cybercrime, with operational support from Europol, have executed a search operation at the Paris offices of X, the social media platform owned by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. This action stems from an ongoing judicial investigation initially focused on content recommendation algorithms that has now been broadened to include the platform’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok.
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that both Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino have received formal summons to appear before judicial authorities in April 2026 as part of the expanding investigation. The platform, previously known as Twitter, has historically characterized such probes as assaults on free expression principles, though company officials have not issued an immediate response to the recent developments.
Originally launched in January 2025, the investigation underwent significant expansion in July following reports concerning the circulation of sexually explicit deepfake content and Holocaust denial material through the platform’s systems. Judicial authorities are now examining potential violations across multiple legal domains, including:
– Complicity in possession and organized distribution of child sexual abuse material
– Systematic infringement of personal image rights through non-consensual deepfake pornography
– Fraudulent data extraction activities conducted by organized groups
The prosecutor’s office notably announced its departure from X, indicating future communications would be channeled through LinkedIn and Instagram platforms.
This development occurs amidst intensified European scrutiny of X’s AI operations. The European Commission initiated a separate investigation into xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, in late January following concerns about AI-generated sexualized imagery. This parallels similar regulatory action previously undertaken by UK communications regulator Ofcom, reflecting growing transatlantic concern about AI content moderation practices.