French Prosecutors Continue X Investigation Despite Tech Mogul's Absence
Elon Musk did not attend a scheduled interview in Paris on Monday, April 20th, 2026, with French investigators. The summons was part of an ongoing probe into allegations concerning misconduct on his social media platform, X, and its artificial intelligence system, Grok. Investigators are examining claims related to the spread of child sexual abuse material and the generation of deepfake content.
French prosecutors are pursuing investigations into X's alleged complicity in the dissemination of child abuse imagery and deepfakes, even without Musk's direct participation in the scheduled interview.
French authorities opened their investigation following reports from a French lawmaker, who alleged that biased algorithms on X may have distorted the functioning of automated data processing systems. Prosecutors are also reportedly looking into suspicions that the controversy surrounding Grok's deepfakes was deliberately orchestrated to inflate the valuation of Musk-owned companies in anticipation of a market listing.
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U.S. Justice Department Declines Cooperation
The United States Justice Department has indicated it will not assist French law enforcement in their efforts to investigate X. This stance was reported by The Wall Street Journal and has been met with a dismissive response from Musk himself, who publicly stated on X that "This needs to stop." French prosecutors had previously alerted U.S. authorities, including the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission, in March.
Despite the potential absence of both Musk and X CEO Linda Yaccarino, French prosecutors have stated that their investigation will proceed. The Paris prosecutor's office noted that the voluntary interviews were part of a "constructive approach" aimed at ensuring X's compliance with French law within its operational territory, and that a no-show "is not an obstacle for investigations to continue."
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Broader Scrutiny and Previous Actions
This French inquiry aligns with a wider international backlash against AI-generated content. In January 2026, the European Union also launched a probe into X over Grok's reported generation of sexualized deepfakes involving women and minors. Reports from the non-profit watchdog, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), indicated that Grok had generated millions of sexualized images, including a significant number that appeared to depict children, within an 11-day period.
The French investigation is examining several potential criminal offenses, including charges of complicity in possessing child sexual abuse material and denial of crimes against humanity. In early February 2026, French prosecutors had already searched the Paris offices of X. The platform itself had previously described the EU probe as "politically motivated."
