The French Public Prosecutor's Office has initiated a criminal investigation into X, focusing on alleged manipulation of its algorithms for foreign interference. The probe follows reports submitted on January 12 by MP Éric Bothorel and an undisclosed senior government official. Bothorel expressed concerns that an informational bias on X, purportedly used to promote Elon Musk's political views, resulted from algorithmic manipulation. The investigation centers on two main issues: tampering with automated data processing systems by an organized group and the fraudulent extraction of user data from these systems. France's J3 cybercrime unit, which previously arrested Pavel Durov, will lead this inquiry. Since Musk's acquisition of X in 2022, the platform has faced increasing scrutiny from European regulators, especially regarding compliance with new EU regulations aimed at managing online platforms and ensuring content transparency. These developments have implications for Musk's ambition to transform X into a crypto-integrated platform in the European market.

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