Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP / Getty Images
French prosecutors have summoned Elon Musk to Paris as part of a widening investigation into allegations that the social media platform X facilitated the spread of child sexual abuse material and sexually explicit deepfakes, including content generated by its AI system, Grok. The voluntary interview request also applies to Linda Yaccarino, the former CEO of X, while other employees are scheduled to testify as witnesses throughout the week, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.
The investigation, launched in January 2025 by the cybercrime unit, follows complaints from French lawmakers alleging X’s algorithms and Grok generated or allowed the dissemination of illegal content, including deepfakes featuring minors and posts denying the Holocaust, which is a crime in France. Prosecutors allege that “complicity” in possessing and distributing pornographic images of minors, manipulating automated data processing systems, and denial of crimes against humanity are among the charges under review.
Prosecutors suspect the controversy surrounding Grok’s sexualized deepfakes may have been orchestrated to increase the value of Musk’s companies ahead of a planned June 2026 stock market listing involving the merger of Space X and xAI. French authorities have alerted the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission about these concerns. However, the Justice Department declined to assist French investigators, stating that the case amounted to political interference with an American business.
Earlier this year, the Paris offices of X were raided by the cybercrime unit, with support from France’s National Gendarmerie and Europol. The investigation is also looking into whether company employees were complicit in these alleged offenses, but no charges have yet been filed.
At this stage, French authorities describe the interviews as voluntary and part of an effort to ensure X complies with national law. Whether Musk or Yaccarino will appear in person remains unclear; their absence will not stop the ongoing investigation.
The United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has begun a separate investigation into Grok’s generation of non-consensual, sexualized images, including of minors. The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, and the European Commission are also conducting reviews into X and its AI operations.