Musk's X refuses to hand over data in 'politically-motivated' French investigation

Elon Musk's social media platform, X, has firmly rejected the accusations put forth by French authorities amidst a criminal investigation into alleged manipulation of data. The company asserted that it would not comply with the prosecutor's request for data, labeling the inquiry as 'politically-motivated' and an attempt to limit free expression. In a post shared on the platform, X's global government affairs account stated, 'French authorities have initiated a politically-motivated criminal investigation into X regarding alleged algorithm manipulation and fraudulent data extraction.' The platform vehemently denied these claims. The investigation, which ramped up this month, originated in January following two complaints—one from a French parliament member and another from a senior public institution official—alleging that the platform's algorithm was being used for foreign interference. Recently, this inquiry was transferred to a significant unit within France's national police. Prosecutors have indicated that they will examine potential offenses related to tampering with automated data systems and fraudulent data extraction. According to X, French authorities have sought access to the platform’s recommendation algorithm and real-time user post data, purportedly to allow various 'experts' to analyze the information and reveal the operational truths of X. X expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding the specific allegations against it, asserting, 'Based on the information we have, we believe this investigation misinterprets French law to advance a political agenda and ultimately restrict free speech.' As a result, X has chosen not to comply with the demands from French authorities, citing its legal rights. The platform also criticized the selected individuals for the review process. It pointed out that David Chavalarias, director of the Paris Complex Systems Institute, and Maziyar Panahi, an AI platform leader at the same institute, have shown open hostility towards the platform in their previous works. X's statement raised questions about the impartiality of the investigation, suggesting that it might lead to a predetermined and unfair outcome. As the situation develops, CNBC has reached out to the Paris prosecutor's office for further comments and is awaiting responses from Chavalarias and Panahi regarding X's claims.