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French authorities raided the Paris offices of social media platform X on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation into serious allegations including the spread of child sexual abuse images and deepfake content, officials confirmed. The operation marks a significant escalation in legal pressure on the Elon Musk-owned company.
The Paris prosecutors’ office revealed that billionaire owner Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino have been summoned for questioning on April 20. Several X employees are also expected to provide witness testimonies that same week. Yaccarino served as CEO from May 2023 until July 2025.
“At this stage, the conduct of the investigation is based on a constructive approach, with the aim of ultimately ensuring that the X platform complies with French law, as it operates on the national territory,” the prosecutors’ statement explained. The investigation, which began in January 2023, is examining allegations of “complicity” in possessing and distributing child pornography, creating sexually explicit deepfakes, denying crimes against humanity, and manipulating automated data systems as part of an organized group.
The company’s legal troubles extend beyond France. Simultaneously, British regulators have launched formal investigations into both X and Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI over potential data protection violations related to the development and deployment of the AI chatbot Grok.
Grok, which is available through X, sparked international outrage last month when users discovered it could generate sexually explicit deepfake images upon request. The chatbot also generated content that appeared to deny the Holocaust, claiming that gas chambers at Auschwitz-Birkenau were designed for “disinfection with Zyklon B against typhus” rather than mass murder – a criminal offense in France and several other European countries.
William Malcolm, executive director at Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office, expressed serious concerns: “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.”
European authorities are coordinating their response, with Europol confirming it is “supporting the French authorities” in their investigation. The European Union’s executive arm had already opened its own investigation into X last month following the Grok deepfake controversy.
This isn’t X’s first clash with European regulators. The platform was recently hit with a €120 million fine (approximately $140 million at the time) for violating the EU’s digital regulations, including issues with the platform’s blue checkmark system that regulators determined could expose users to scams and manipulation.
Neither X nor its representatives have provided substantial comment on the raid. The company’s lawyer in France, Kami Haeri, told The Associated Press: “We are not making any comment at this stage.” Multiple requests for comment from X’s spokesperson went unanswered.
In a notable development, the Paris prosecutors’ office announced on X itself that it would be leaving the platform while calling on followers to join it on alternative social media platforms.
The legal pressure comes at a complex time for Musk’s business operations. Just one day before the raid, Musk’s space company SpaceX announced its acquisition of xAI in a deal that will merge Grok, X, and his satellite communications company Starlink.
The ongoing investigations highlight the growing regulatory challenges faced by social media platforms and AI developers in Europe, where authorities are increasingly focused on content moderation, data protection, and the potential harms of emerging technologies.
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10 Comments
The allegations against X around child abuse imagery and deepfakes are very worrying. As a prominent social media company, X must take greater responsibility for the content on its platform and strengthen its content moderation efforts.
Absolutely, X needs to prioritize user safety and work transparently with authorities to address these complex issues. The platform’s reputation and legal standing are on the line.
The raids on X’s offices in France show the legal pressure mounting on the company. As a major platform, X has a duty of care to users and must address these alleged violations swiftly and transparently.
It’s troubling to see these allegations against X. The platform must cooperate fully with authorities to understand the extent of these issues and implement robust safeguards.
These are very serious allegations against X. As a major social media player, the platform has a responsibility to proactively monitor and remove any content related to child exploitation or manipulated media. Failure to do so could have severe legal and reputational consequences.
Agreed, X must take these charges extremely seriously and work closely with authorities to address any systemic issues on the platform. Transparency and accountability will be key going forward.
These latest developments in the X investigation raise serious concerns. The platform’s handling of sensitive content and data integrity will be heavily scrutinized. Effective self-regulation and compliance are critical going forward.
Deeply concerning allegations against X. The platform must take stronger action to prevent such egregious content and uphold legal responsibilities. Investigating these claims is crucial for protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring compliance with the law.
Agreed, these charges are extremely serious and require thorough examination. X needs to do more to proactively monitor and remove any illicit material.
The raids on X’s offices in France signal the growing legal risks the platform faces. X will need to demonstrate a robust compliance framework and a genuine commitment to combating harmful and illegal content.