How a French lawmaker’s report led to a cybercrime investigation of X

• French prosecutors are investigating Elon Musk’s social media platform X over allegedly biased algorithms. That’s according to multiple reports released on Friday.
• The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office revealed it received a complaint from a French lawmaker on Jan. 12, claiming X was using “biased algorithms.”
• The office said its J3 cybercrime unit was currently looking into the report.

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French prosecutors are investigating Elon Musk’s social media platform X over allegedly biased algorithms. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office revealed on Friday, Feb. 7, it received a complaint from a French lawmaker, claiming X was using “biased algorithms” to shape discourse on the platform by distorting “the operation of an automated data processing system.”

The office said its J3 cybercrime unit is currently looking into the report, filed on Jan. 12, by French lawmaker Eric Bothorel, who is a member of President Emmanuel Macron’s party in Parliament.

Neither Musk nor his company has responded to the probe.

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What is Musk’s political history?

Musk has reportedly used his social media, previously known as Twitter, to support right-wing leaders and issues in countries like Germany and Britain.

His support has led to concerns over foreign interference in elections set to be held in those European nations.

What past work has the J3 unit conducted?

The J3 unit also led an investigation last year into Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who was arrested at a Paris airport on drug trafficking and distribution of child sexual abuse images.

Pavel, who is out on bail, denies the charges, but his company Telegram said it is working closely with authorities to remove illegal content from its platform.

The J3 unit has used innovative and strict laws to crack down on Big Tech owners.

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Has X been targeted in any other country?

X was also blocked for more than five months in Brazil last year, after the country claimed it allowed the spread of misinformation, before X eventually complied with a Brazilian Supreme Court order.