Elon Musk summoned in France over investigation into X platform

French authorities have summoned Elon Musk to Paris as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct linked to his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), including concerns over the spread of child sexual abuse material and deepfake content.

According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, Musk and former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino have been called for “voluntary interviews” with investigators, while additional platform employees are expected to testify as witnesses throughout the week.

It remains unclear whether Musk or Yaccarino will travel to France. 

The summons follows a search conducted in February at X’s French offices as part of a cybercrime investigation opened in January 2025 by Paris prosecutors.

Authorities are examining a range of allegations, including the suspected dissemination of illegal content, manipulation of automated systems, and the spread of sexually explicit deepfakes. 

The inquiry also includes concerns about the platform’s artificial intelligence tool, Grok, which has faced criticism over generating controversial and false outputs.

French investigators are additionally probing whether certain AI-generated content and platform controversies may have been used to influence company valuation ahead of potential market developments. 

The case has been shared with US authorities, though Musk recently reacted to reports that American officials declined to assist French investigators, posting on X: “This needs to stop.”

Prosecutors stressed that the interviews are part of a “constructive approach” aimed at ensuring compliance with French law rather than immediate enforcement action.

However, the investigation includes serious allegations such as complicity in distributing illegal sexual content, denial of crimes against humanity, and organised manipulation of digital systems.

The probe intensified after reports of biased algorithmic behavior and incidents involving Grok generating content that included Holocaust denial claims and sexually explicit deepfakes. Some of the content was later removed or corrected by the system.

The investigation remains ongoing as French authorities continue gathering testimony and reviewing platform activity.