The microblogging platform, X (previously Twitter), is the subject of a criminal investigation by French prosecutors over claims of algorithm manipulation and illicit data acquisition.
An unidentified senior official and French legislator Eric Bothorel’s complaints served as the basis for the investigation, which grew more intense earlier this month.
X was accused of disseminating “a great deal of hateful, racist, anti-LGBT+, and homophobic political content” as well as tampering with its algorithm for “foreign interference” to distort the French democratic discourse.
Charges of “fraudulent extraction of data from an automated data processing system as part of an organized criminal enterprise” and “altering the functioning of an automated data processing system as part of an organized criminal enterprise” are the basis for the inquiry.
If confirmed, these accusations could result in harsh punishments.
However, the social media platform has strongly refuted the claims and described the inquiry as “politically motivated” and a threat to free expression.
According to X, French authorities asked for access to its recommendation system and real-time information on every post made by users on the platform so that professionals may examine it.
X, however, refused to abide by these conditions, citing its legal authority to do so and casting doubt on the objectivity of the participating experts.
In the statement, X said the investigation led by Bothorel, “egregiously undermines its fundamental right to due process and threatens users’ rights to privacy and free speech.
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