Grok under investigation: how chatbot X ended up at the center of a criminal investigation
3 February 19:19
The Paris prosecutor’s office is conducting searches at the French offices of social network X, owned by Elon Musk. The investigations are part of a criminal investigation into the platform’s algorithmic bias, possible foreign interference, and the dissemination of illegal content.
This was reported by the Paris prosecutor’s office, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
The searches are being carried out by a specialized cybercrime unit with the participation of Europol and the French police.
What is the investigation about?
The case was opened in January after a complaint was filed by French MP Eric Botrel from the Renaissance party. He alleged possible manipulation of X’s algorithms and opaque management of the platform after its acquisition by Elon Musk in 2022.
A separate complaint was filed by the director of cybersecurity for the French civil service, who claims that changes to the algorithms contributed to the more active dissemination of politically sensitive content.
Who is involved in the case
As part of the investigation, a hearing is scheduled for April 20, to which the following individuals have been summoned:
- Elon Musk, owner of X;
- Linda Yaccarino, former CEO of the platform.
Foreign interference and algorithms
The prosecutor’s office does not specify their procedural status, but confirms that they are involved in the case as persons involved in management decisions.
According to the investigation, the two applicants suspect that X’s algorithms may have been used by foreign states to influence public discourse.
The investigation was subsequently expanded after new reports emerged about the activities of the Grok chatbot, which is integrated into X and was created by xAI.
Grok and illegal content
The prosecutor’s office is checking information about:
- Holocaust denial;
- the generation of sexual deepfakes, in particular using images of women and girls without their consent;
- creation of scenes of sexual violence.
Back in November, the prosecutor’s office announced an investigation into Grok after the chatbot generated French-language posts questioning the use of gas chambers at Auschwitz.
Reaction from X and Musk
Following media reports, Elon Musk stated that users who create illegal content will be held accountable along with those who distribute it. He also promised an internal review of xAI.
X acknowledged shortcomings in its security systems and apologized.
Subsequently:
- Grok temporarily disabled image generation for most users;
- X banned the creation or editing of images of people in swimsuits, underwear, and similar clothing.
The situation surrounding X is unfolding against the backdrop of increased regulation of digital platforms around the world. In particular, South Korea was the first to introduce a comprehensive legal framework for regulating artificial intelligence, and the EU is already conducting separate investigations into the compliance of AI systems with Union legislation.
