The United States government has criticized France for opening a criminal case against X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk. On Friday, July 25, U.S. officials said the investigation is an attack on freedom of speech and a form of censorship from another country.
A U.S. government office that focuses on democracy and human rights posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, expressing concern. They said a French prosecutor was trying to get access to X’s private algorithm and had gone as far as calling the company a criminal group. The U.S. stated that democratic countries should allow people to speak freely, even if their opinions are unpopular. They added that the U.S. would always stand up for Americans’ right to free speech against pressure from other countries.
French prosecutors started their investigation on July 11. They are looking into claims that X may have been used to influence political conversations in France. They also suspect that the platform may have used automated systems to collect information. The French government described the actions as part of organized criminal activity.
The investigation began after two complaints were made in January. One of the complaints came from Eric Bothorel, a French lawmaker from President Macron’s party. He claimed that the platform has shown less diversity in opinions since Elon Musk took over, and he accused Musk of getting too involved in how X is run.
X has rejected all the accusations and said the investigation is being driven by politics. The company said it refused to give French authorities access to its algorithm and live data. X also claimed that the French government is twisting the law to push a political goal and limit free expression.
Eric Bothorel stood by the investigation, saying it’s important to protect democracy from the power of big tech bosses. He warned that democracy is too weak to allow platform owners to control public opinion, influence elections, or encourage hate.
Elon Musk has faced criticism in Europe for getting involved in political matters. Earlier this year, he openly supported Germany’s far-right political party, AfD, which raised even more concerns about his influence on European politics.
