Latest news with #EricBothorel
Tahawul Tech
6 days ago
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
X pushes back against French investigation
Social media platform X has pushed back against what it deems a 'politically motivated' criminal investigation launched by French authorities, they went on to state it will not comply with the probe and denies any allegations. In a post on its Global Government Affairs handle, X responded to a probe launched by the Paris prosecutor's office last week to investigate suspected abuse of algorithms and fraudulent data extraction by the company and its executives. X stated it 'remains in the dark' as to the specific allegations made against the platform but based on what it knows so far it believes the investigation is 'distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech'. The company explained French authorities had requested access to its recommendation algorithm and real-time data about all user posts on the platform in order for experts to analyse the data and purportedly 'uncover the truth' about the operation of the X platform. One of the experts in question is French politician Eric Bothorel who heads up French public institution Escape X, which X said is dedicated to encourage users to leave the platform. Another expert is Maziyar Panahi, who has previously participated in research projects with Bothorel and has been known to 'demonstrate open hostility towards X', added the company. 'The involvement of these individuals raises serious concerns about the impartiality, fairness and political motivations of the investigation, to put it charitably. A predetermined outcome is not a fair one,' added X's post. X is also under fire from the European Commission over potentially breaching advertising rules under the Digital Services Act. Source: Mobile World Live Image Credit: X
Gizmodo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Gizmodo
Elon Musk's X Says ‘Nope' to French Authorities Trying to Access Its Algorithm
Onlookers have long suspected that Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) has a right-wing bias embedded in its digital DNA, and, in January of this year, cybercrime authorities in France took it upon themselves to uncover whether this was true or not. The investigation has sought to determine whether the site is guilty of algorithmically manipulating the visibility of content on its website. NBC reports that, earlier this month, the probe was transferred to a 'key unit of France's national police.' Now, X has attacked the probe, proclaiming publicly that it is refusing to cooperate with authorities. In a post made to the site on Monday, X's Global Government Affairs page lambasted the investigation as a political witch hunt. 'French authorities have launched a politically-motivated criminal investigation into X over the alleged manipulation of its algorithm and alleged 'fraudulent data extraction.' X categorically denies these allegations,' the page says. The cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor's office initially took on the X case in January after two people allegedly provided information to the government about the site, the Associated Press previously reported. In July, the Paris prosecutor's office announced it had taken on the investigation over allegations of data tampering and fraud, charges that are punishable by up to 10 years in jail, AP notes. According to Le Monde, the initial basis of the case was a report filed in January by MP Eric Bothorel, which claimed that there had been 'recent algorithm changes on the (Twitter) X platform, as well as apparent interference in its management since its acquisition by Elon Musk.' Bothorel's report was apparently based on a unique legal theory, Le Monde writes: At the heart of this investigation lies a legal innovation. Bothorel's alert is largely based on an analysis published on February 6 by legal expert and law professor Michel Séjean. In the specialized journal Dalloz, Séjean argued that under French law, distorting the operation of a recommendation algorithm on a social media platform can be punishable by the same penalties as computer hacking. According to this analysis, manipulating a platform's algorithm without the users' knowledge would be punishable under Article 323-2 of the French penal code, which punishes 'hindering or distorting the operation of an automated data processing system.' Until now, this article has been used exclusively to punish data theft and other forms of computer piracy. At any rate, X clearly isn't having it. In its statement Monday, the platform said that Bothorel had 'accused X of manipulating its algorithm for 'foreign interference' purposes, an allegation which is completely false.' The site also said that it would not be cooperating with the French inquiry. '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,' the site said. 'X has not acceded to the French authorities' demands, as we have a legal right to do,' it continued. 'This is not a decision that X takes lightly. However, in this case, the facts speak for themselves. X is committed to defending its fundamental rights, protecting user data and resisting political censorship.' A study last year claimed to have found evidence that the site was, indeed, algorithmically biased in favor of right-wing content. Researchers with the Queensland University of Technology in Australia claimed to have found evidence of a 'structural engagement shift' on the platform that seemed to favor certain right-leaning accounts. The shift took place around mid-July 2024, right after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump's life.
Local France
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Local France
Musk's X calls French foreign interference probe 'politically motivated'
"X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech," the social network said. It added that it "has not acceded to the French authorities' demands" to access its recommendation algorithm and real-time data, "as we have a legal right to do". Cybercrime prosecutors announced the opening of the probe on July 11th into suspected crimes including manipulating and extracting data from automated systems "as part of a criminal gang". Advertisement The move followed two complaints received in January about "foreign interference" in French politics via X - one of them from Eric Bothorel, an MP from President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party. Bothorel had complained of "reduced diversity of voices and options" and Musk's "personal interventions" on the network since his 2022 takeover of the former Twitter. The Tesla and SpaceX chief has raised hackles in Europe with political sallies, including vocal backing for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of February legislative elections. "Democracy is too fragile to let digital platform owners tell us what to think, who to vote for or even who to hate," Bothorel said after the investigation was announced. The company responded on Monday saying, "Mr Bothorel has accused X of manipulating its algorithm for 'foreign interference' purposes, an allegation which is completely false." Prosecutors have not confirmed whether they are also investigating under a French law against foreign interference in politics passed last year. X also complained of bias in French authorities' choice of experts to examine its algorithm, including mathematician David Chavalarias and computer scientist Maziyar Panahi. Both have been involved in a scheme called "HelloQuitteX", designed to make it easier for users to migrate their X presence to other social networks. Picking them "raises serious concerns about the impartiality, fairness and political motivations of the investigation", the company said. It also objected to the use of the "organised gang" aggravating circumstance. The characterisation "is usually reserved for drug cartels or mafia groups" and "enables the French police to deploy extensive investigative powers... including wiretapping the personal devices of X employees," the company said.
ABC News
21-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Elon Musk's X says it won't cooperate with 'politically motivated' French probe
Elon Musk's X has accused French prosecutors of launching a "politically-motivated criminal investigation" that threatens its users' free speech, denying all allegations against it and saying it would not cooperate with the probe. Earlier this month, Paris prosecutors stepped up a preliminary probe into the social media platform for suspected algorithmic bias and fraudulent data extraction, authorising police to conduct searches, wire taps and surveillance against Mr Musk and X executives, or summon them to testify. If they do not comply, a judge could issue an arrest warrant. "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." It was not immediately clear what sort of request prosecutors had sent to X, but failure to comply with a judicial request can range from a fine to obstruction of justice charges. The Paris prosecutors' office did not respond to a request for comment. X said the probe had been instigated by Eric Bothorel, a French lawmaker, who had accused X of "manipulating its algorithm for 'foreign interference' purposes", an allegation it said was "completely false". Mr Bothorel, in a statement, defended the independence of the French judiciary. "It's a concept that seems completely up-ended in the United States at the moment," he said, adding that France was committed to free speech but not without limits. 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 US officials alleging the censoring of right-wing voices around the world. The European Commission has been investigating X for breaching its digital transparency rules against illegal content, known as the Digital Services Act, since late 2023. The social media giant X said Paris prosecutors had requested it hand over data on all user posts for analysis by researchers David Chavalarias and Maziyar Panahi, who it said had both exhibited "open hostility towards X". Mr Chavalarias did not respond to a request for comment. Mr Panahi denied any involvement in the investigation. "My name was mentioned by mistake, based on my previous research projects with David Chavalarias, none of which have ever had any hostile intent toward X," he said in an email. "The fact my name has been mentioned in such an erroneous manner demonstrates how little regard they have for the lives of others … I will not hesitate to pursue legal action for defamation should I receive any form of hate speech." X did not respond to a request for comment on Mr Panahi's statement. It also criticised the fact that it was being investigated under organised crime charges, which could allow police to wire tap its employees' personal devices. Reuters
Russia Today
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
X blasts French criminal probe as ‘politically motivated'
Social media network X has accused the French authorities of a 'politically motivated criminal investigation,' over a probe launched against the platform for alleged algorithm manipulation and 'fraudulent data extraction.' X's Global Government Affairs team said on Monday that the investigation was instigated by Eric Bothorel, a French MP and member of President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party. The probe itself kicked off in January after Bothorel and another senior French official alleged that the company's algorithm was being used for the purposes of 'foreign interference.' X has denied all of the accusations against it. Bothorel has previously been critical of X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, claiming that the network spreads 'an enormous amount of hateful, racist, anti-LGBT+ and homophobic political content' which allegedly influences France's political discourse. According to the platform, French authorities had asked X to grant them a 'recommendation algorithm and real-time data about all user posts' to be handed over to experts who were overtly hostile to the platform. X also protested being investigated as an 'organized gang,' a classification that allows French police to use extensive powers, including wiretapping employees' devices. The platform stressed it has refused the authorities' demands. X remains in the dark as to the specific allegations made against the platform. 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. The probe echoes another high-profile case in France involving Telegram founder Pavel Durov. The Russian-born tech billionaire was arrested in the country last summer and charged with offenses linked to Telegram's handling of illegal content, including child exploitation material and narcotics trafficking. Durov has dismissed the allegations as 'baseless.' Commenting on the reports on X being in the crosshairs of the French authorities, Durov accused Paris of pursuing a 'crusade' against free speech and progress itself while warning that the probe could end up damaging the French economy.
