Elon Musk failed to appear at a Paris hearing on Monday as part of an investigation into his social media platform X. The probe centres on allegations that the platform and its AI chatbot Grok have been used to disseminate child sexual abuse material.
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“The prosecutor’s office notes the absence of the first individuals who were summoned. Their presence or absence does not hinder the continuation of the investigation,” the prosecutor’s statement reads, without mentioning anyone by name.
Musk and the former CEO of X, Linda Yaccarino were summoned as part of an investigation, launched in January 2025, into allegations that X’s algorithm was used to interfere in French politics.
The probe was later expanded to include an investigation into X’s AI chatbot Grok’s dissemination of Holocaust denial – a crime in France – and sexually explicit deepfakes.
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While attendance at Monday’s hearing was mandatory, French authorities at could not compel Musk, the world’s richest person, to appear.
Prosecutors have called the inquiry a “constructive approach” aimed at ensuring X complies with French law.
Musk has accused prosecutors of launching a “politically-motivated criminal investigation” and has refused to cooperate.
X has come under scrutiny from regulators and governments in several countries over issues including content moderation, data practices and compliance with local laws.
The French cybercrime unit previously arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov in 2024 for complicity in organised crime carried out on the messaging app, charges his lawyer has described as “absurd.”
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Durov wrote Monday that he France is “losing legitimacy as it weaponises criminal investigations to suppress free speech and privacy”, accusing investigators of being controlled by the government.
(with newswires)
