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French Prosecutors Investigate Musk’s X Over Alleged Algorithmic Bias

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French prosecutors have opened an investigation into Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) over allegations of algorithmic bias. The inquiry comes just days before the upcoming AI summit in Paris, which will be attended by prominent global leaders, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as executives from Alphabet and Microsoft.

The investigation began after a lawmaker, Eric Bothorel, raised concerns that X’s algorithms were likely distorting automated data processing systems. Bothorel wrote to the Paris prosecutor’s office on January 12, prompting the J3 cybercrime unit to launch technical checks. Bothorel also posted about the matter on X, urging further scrutiny of the platform.

X has not responded to requests for comment on the matter. The investigation underscores mounting global scrutiny of Musk’s platform, which has been criticized for potential foreign interference, particularly due to Musk’s personal support for right-wing causes in countries like Germany and the UK. X has previously been involved in legal battles over misinformation, notably being blocked in Brazil last year for not adhering to Supreme Court orders regarding the spread of false information.

Banks Sell $5.5 Billion of Musk’s X Debt to Investors

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Banks led by Morgan Stanley have successfully sold $5.5 billion of the $13 billion debt incurred to finance Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, now rebranded as X. This sale is part of an effort to offload a significant portion of the debt, which includes a combination of secured and unsecured loans.

The deal, which was marketed to a select group of investors, included banks such as Bank of America, Barclays, Mitsubishi UFJ, BNP Paribas, Mizuho, and Societe Generale. The debt was initially offered at a price range of 90-95 cents on the dollar, but it was ultimately priced at 97 cents, resulting in a potential profit for the banks involved. Investors in this loan will receive a yield of 11%.

This marks the second attempt by these banks to sell down the debt since Musk’s 2022 acquisition. A prior attempt in late 2022 to sell the unsecured loan failed, as the bids were significantly lower, at 60 cents to the dollar, potentially causing a large loss for the banks. This time, however, investors seem to be more confident in X’s prospects, partly due to Musk’s ties to the newly elected Trump administration and his involvement in the AI startup xAI, which may drive further interest in the platform.

Despite the improved pricing, some investors have been hesitant to buy into the debt, given X’s challenges with advertisers and uncertain revenue growth after Musk’s changes to the platform. Additionally, X still has no official credit rating, which raises concerns among potential buyers. Nevertheless, the sale signals growing investor confidence, despite the risk that the platform’s revenue might not justify the price of the debt.

 

German Activists Sue X Over Lack of Election Influence Data

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Two activist groups have filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s social media platform X, accusing it of violating European law by refusing to provide necessary data to track disinformation ahead of Germany’s national election on February 23. The Society for Civil Rights (GFF) and Democracy Reporting International (DRI) claim that X is not offering systematic access to important information, such as the reach of posts, likes, and shares, which other platforms have made available for monitoring.

According to Michael Meyer-Resende of DRI, the groups have the right to access this data under the European Union’s Digital Services Act. Despite requests, X has not granted access to the data needed for tracking public debates on the platform.

The lawsuit comes amid heightened concerns over online disinformation ahead of elections in Europe, especially after the controversial presidential election in Romania in 2024, which was allegedly influenced by a Russian-driven social media campaign, though Moscow denied any involvement.

The situation is further complicated by Musk’s endorsement of Germany’s far-right political party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), and his continued influence over the platform. Since taking control of Twitter (now X), Musk has limited access to data for researchers, charging for what was previously free, raising concerns about transparency and potential misuse of the platform in democratic processes.