Elon Musk Summoned as France Raids X Office in Grok Probe
▼ Summary
– French authorities raided X’s Paris office and summoned Elon Musk for questioning as part of an investigation into illegal content, including Holocaust denial and sexually explicit deepfakes disseminated by the Grok chatbot.
– The investigation, assisted by Europol and French cybercrime units, covers a range of suspected criminal offenses linked to the platform’s functioning and use.
– Prosecutors have voluntarily summoned both Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino for interviews in April 2026.
– The potential crimes under investigation include distributing child sexual abuse material, sexual deepfakes, Holocaust denial, data fraud, and operating an illegal online platform.
– X has previously criticized the probe as politically motivated and a threat to user privacy and free speech.
French authorities have escalated a significant investigation into the social media platform X, conducting a raid on its Paris office and formally requesting an interview with its owner, Elon Musk. The probe, which has been active for over a year, was broadened following allegations that the platform’s Grok artificial intelligence system was involved in spreading deeply harmful content, including Holocaust denial and sexually explicit deepfake material. This development marks a serious confrontation between European regulators and the tech giant over content moderation and legal accountability.
The Paris public prosecutor’s office is examining a wide array of potential criminal violations. The serious charges under consideration include complicity in the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, infringement of personal rights through sexual deepfakes, and the denial of crimes against humanity. Additional technical allegations involve the fraudulent extraction of data from an automated system, falsification of how such a system operates, and running an illegal online platform through an organized group. This multifaceted legal approach indicates the complexity and severity of the case.
Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, is actively supporting the French investigation. The agency confirmed that its cybercrime center deployed an analyst to Paris to assist national authorities. They stated the inquiry focuses on “a range of suspected criminal offenses linked to the functioning and use of the platform,” specifically highlighting the dissemination of illegal content and various forms of online criminal activity. The French Gendarmerie’s own cybercrime unit is also providing operational support.
Alongside Elon Musk, prosecutors have summoned former X CEO Linda Yaccarino for a voluntary interview scheduled for April 2026. Yaccarino resigned from her position last year during a separate controversy where the Grok chatbot was reported to have made positive statements about Adolf Hitler. The company has previously criticized the investigation, alleging in a July 2025 statement that France was conducting “a politically motivated criminal investigation into X” that “threatens our users’ rights to privacy and free speech.” X has been contacted for a new comment on the recent raid and summons, and any response will be added to this report.
(Source: Ars Technica)
