French authorities ‘clean up’ X’s office in cybercrime investigation

French authorities carried out this Tuesday (27) a search of platform X’s French officesocial network controlled by the billionaire Elon Muskin the context of a formal investigation opened in January 2025. The diligence was confirmed by Paris prosecutor’s office and initially published by CNN Business.

According to the French authorities, the operation is part of a procedure conducted by cybercrime unit of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Officecom support from Europolthe European police cooperation agency. To date, however, no public details have been released about the specific object of the investigation or about possible suspects or additional legal measures.

Investigation was opened in early 2025

In a succinct statement, the Prosecutor’s Office only said that the investigation is part of a formal investigation that began at the beginning of this year. Authorities have not clarified whether the probe involves possible violations of French or European legislation related to data management, content moderation, cybersecurity or other regulatory obligations imposed on large digital platforms.

The lack of detailed information is common in the initial phases of investigations of this type, especially when documents, electronic data or other materials considered sensitive are collected. Sources linked to the case state that the procedure remains partially confidential to preserve the effectiveness of the investigations.

Cybercrime unit activities

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office’s cybercrime unit is responsible for highly complex investigations involving digital crimes, such as cyberattacks, misuse of computerized systems, online fraud and possible non-compliance with rules on data protection and the operation of digital platforms.

According to experts in digital law, searches in the offices of large technology companies usually aim to seize servers, internal records, corporate communications and technical documents that help in the reconstruction of decision flows and operational practices of the company being investigated.

In the case of platform

Cooperation with Europol indicates possible international dimension

Europol’s involvement reinforces the hypothesis that the investigation has potential transnational dimension. The agency acts as a coordination body between police forces in European Union countries, offering technical support, intelligence and data analysis in investigations that cross national borders.

Although the Paris Prosecutor’s Office did not detail Europol’s exact role in the case, experts point out that cooperation could include cross-checking information with other European countries, analyzing international data flows or evaluating the impacts of the platform’s operations in different jurisdictions in the bloc.

European legislation for digital services, especially after the entry into force of the Digital Services Act (DSA)expanded the obligations of large platforms regarding transparency, combating illegal content and protecting users. National authorities have intensified inspections to verify compliance with these standards.

Platform X has not yet commented

Until the publication of this article, platform X had not released an official statement about the search carried out in its office in France. There was also no public statement from Elon Musk regarding the investigation.

Since Musk acquired the social network — formerly known as Twitter — the company has undergone profound changes to its internal structure, moderation policies and relationship with regulatory authorities around the world. These transformations have generated frequent debates about the balance between freedom of expression, platform responsibility and compliance with local laws.

In several European countries, regulatory bodies closely monitor X’s actions, especially on topics related to the dissemination of misinformation, hate speech and the management of users’ personal data.

Case continues to develop

A CNN Business classified the episode as a “developing” case, indicating that new information may be released in the coming days, as authorities progress in analyzing the material collected or decide to take new steps.

Behind the scenes, the expectation is that the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office will evaluate the content obtained in the search to define the next steps of the investigation, which may include requests for clarification from the company, summons to legal representatives or, eventually, the opening of formal legal proceedings.

For now, the investigation remains in the preliminary stage, with no formalized public charges. The joint action of French and European authorities, however, signals a tightening surveillance on large digital platformsin line with the European Union’s strategy of reinforcing the application of its standards in the online environment.

The evolution of the case should be closely monitored by regulators, technology companies and users, given the potential impact that decisions of this type can have on the functioning of social networks and the global debate on digital governance.