Elon Musk absent from French interview in X investigation

Elon Musk did not attend his voluntary interview in Paris, where French authorities had summoned him as part of an ongoing investigation into his social platform, X.

The case concerns a series of allegations, including possible manipulation of the platform’s algorithm, the dissemination of illegal content, the circulation of sexualised deepfakes, and material related to the denial of crimes against humanity.

According to a press release from the Paris prosecutor’s office dated 3 February 2026, Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino were summoned due to their roles within the company at the time of the alleged actions.

Elon Musk was asked to appear for a voluntary interview on Monday 20th, with the Paris prosecutor’s office telling the BBC that it had “taken note of the absence of those summoned”.

The aim of these voluntary interviews was to allow Mr Musk and Ms Yaccarino to present their positions and, if relevant, outline potential compliance measures.

However, the prosecutor had stressed in advance that “their presence or absence is not an obstacle to continuing the investigation”, as it remains at a preliminary stage.

His absence was not unexpected. Prior to the scheduled interview, the BBC had asked X for comment, and the company referred to an earlier post by Elon Musk, published in February, in which he described the investigation as a “political attack”.

Algorithm manipulation

One of the central lines of investigation concerns alleged manipulation of X’s recommendation algorithm following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform in 2022.

The investigation was triggered by two reports, including one from French MP Eric Bothorel, who raised concerns about changes in how information is prioritised and distributed on the platform. 

Speaking to Franceinfo, Mr Bothorel said there was “a body of evidence suggesting that Elon Musk organises and prioritises information that supports the ideology he advocates.”

The investigation is focusing on possible offences linked to the operation of automated data processing systems, including alleged (foreign) interference or fraudulent modification carried out in an organised context. 

However, at this stage, no judicial conclusion has been reached and the existence of foreign interference has not been formally established.

AI-generated content and denial allegations

French authorities are also examining content produced by Grok, the artificial intelligence system developed by xAI, a company owned by Elon Musk. The investigation follows complaints and reports from organisations including the Human Rights League (LDH) and SOS Racisme.

According to these organisations and media reports, Grok has in some instances generated responses containing Holocaust denial narratives, misleading historical claims, and antisemitic content in reaction to user prompts. 

In November 2025, LDH and SOS Racisme filed a complaint for contestation of crimes against humanity, warning about what they describe as a worrying drift in generative AI systems when moderation is insufficient.

The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that denial of crimes against humanity is among the elements being examined within the broader investigation.

Sexual deepfakes and image-based abuse

Another part of the case concerns the use of AI tools on X to generate sexualised images of users without consent. According to multiple complaints filed in France, users were able to create deepfake images of individuals, including sexualised content, sometimes involving minors.

These cases led to complaints from public figures including the Minister Delegate for Children, Youth and Families of France Sarah El Haïry and Deputy of the French National Council Arthur Delaporte. 

As a result, the investigation was expanded to include allegations of non-consensual image manipulation, complicity in the distribution of illegal content, and handling of potentially pedopornographic material. These elements remain under investigation.

Impersonation and platform responsibility

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has also filed complaints against X, accusing the platform of failing to remove content involving impersonation of the organisation, despite repeated reports. RSF argues that this includes issues such as identity theft, dissemination of false information, and failure to properly moderate illegal content.

These complaints have also been integrated into the broader judicial investigation into the platform’s operations.

The procedure remains a preliminary investigation, and all the issues mentioned are allegations currently being examined by French authorities, Mr Musk has not been charged over the allegations and the company denies any wrongdoing.