Musk's X slams 'politically motivated' French probe
Earlier this month, Paris prosecutors stepped up a preliminary probe into X for suspected algorithmic bias and fraudulent data extraction, enlisting police to investigate alleged wrongdoing by the company or its executives.
"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," the social network posted on its Global Government Affairs account.
"For these reasons, X has not acceded to the French authorities' demands, as we have a legal right to do."
In the blistering attack, X also said the probe had been instigated by Eric Bothorel, a French MP, who had accused "X of manipulating its algorithm for 'foreign interference' purposes, an allegation which is completely false".
The Paris prosecutors' office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither did Bothorel.
Musk, a former ally of US President Donald Trump, has accused European governments of attacking free speech and has voiced support for some of the region's far-right parties.
The French probe could deepen a rift between Washington and European capitals over what sort of discourse is permitted online, with senior officials from Trump's administration alleging the censoring of right-wing voices around the world.
X said Paris prosecutors had requested it hand over "recommendation algorithm and real-time data about all user posts on the platform", for analysis by researchers David Chavalarias and Maziyar Panahi, who it said had both exhibited "open hostility towards X", calling into question the impartiality of the investigation.
Neither Chavalarias nor Panahi immediately responded to a request for comment.
X also chafed at the fact that it was being investigated under organised crime charges, which it said would grant the police measures including wiretapping its employees' personal devices.
Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of the Telegram messaging app, is also under judicial supervision in France after being arrested last year and placed under formal investigation for alleged organised crime on the app. He denies guilt.
Early in July, Musk responded "true" to a post on X in which Durov said the French "bureaucrats" investigating X were "waging a crusade against free speech and tech progress".
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The Russian and Chinese navies are carrying out artillery and anti-submarine drills in the Sea of Japan as part of scheduled joint exercises, the Russian Pacific Fleet says. The drills are taking place two days after US President Donald Trump said he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in "the appropriate regions" in response to remarks by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. However, they were scheduled well before Trump's action. Interfax news agency quoted the Pacific Fleet as saying Russian and Chinese vessels were moving in a joint detachment including a large Russian anti-submarine ship and two Chinese destroyers. It said diesel-electric submarines from the two countries were also involved, as well as a Chinese submarine rescue ship. The manoeuvres are part of exercises titled "Maritime Interaction-2025" which are scheduled to end on Tuesday. 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