Elon Musk's X on Monday denied allegations made by French authorities as part of a criminal investigation into alleged data tampering, adding that it would not submit to the prosecutor's demand to hand over data.
X's global government affairs account said the French investigation, which ramped up this month, is "politically-motivated" and designed to "restrict free speech."
"French authorities have launched a politically-motivated criminal investigation into X over the alleged manipulation of its algorithm and alleged "fraudulent data extraction," X said in a post on the social media platform. "X categorically denies these allegations."
French prosecutors started an investigation in January over allegations that the company's algorithm was being used for the purposes of foreign interference. The probe began after two complaints — one from a French member of parliament and another from a senior official at a public institution.
This month, the investigation was handed over to a key unit of France's national police. Prosecutors said the investigation would focus on investigating offences of tampering with automated data systems as well as the fraudulent extraction of data from these systems.
"French authorities have requested access to X's recommendation algorithm and real-time data about all user posts on the platform in order for several 'experts' to analyze the data and purportedly 'uncover the truth' about the operation of the X platform," X said.
Musk's social media platform also said it, "remains in the dark as to the specific allegations made" against it.
"However, based on what we know so far, X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech," X said.
"For these reasons, X has not acceded to the French authorities' demands, as we have a legal right to do. This is not a decision that X takes lightly. However, in this case, the facts speak for themselves."
CNBC has reached out to the Paris prosecutor's office for comment.
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