The preliminary investigation opened earlier this year by the Paris prosecutor's office into the social media platform X, following suspicions of foreign interference, is moving closer to its powerful owner, Elon Musk. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced in a statement on Friday, July 11, that the investigation targets "the X platform (formerly Twitter), [a] legal entity and [some] individuals," and had been assigned to the national gendarmerie on July 9. The Paris prosecutor's office did not specify the identity of the "individuals" in question.

The investigation focuses on two serious accusations: "alteration of the operation" and "fraudulent extraction of data" from a computer system "by an organized group." These are major computer hacking offenses, for which the French penal code provides for up to 10 years in prison and a €300,000 fine. The appointment of an investigative service theoretically allows the prosecutor's office to order search and seizure operations and interviews.

The Paris prosecutor's office opened the investigation in February after receiving two reports, notably from centrist Ensemble pour la République MP Eric Bothorel, concerning X's possible role in political interference operations in Europe. The social media platform led by Musk is suspected in particular of having altered its content display algorithms to highlight themes favorable to the far right, and of having given greater visibility to candidates during recent elections in Europe – by promoting, for example, the German far-right party Alternativ für Deutschland (AfD), which Musk personally supports.

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