French prosecutors seek charges against Elon Musk and X over child sexual abuse images

French prosecutors are investigating Elon Musk and X over allegations involving child sexual abuse images, deepfakes, and denial of crimes against humanity through its AI system Grok. The Paris public prosecutor’s office announced Wednesday it is examining charges including complicity in possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, unlawful data collection, and dissemination of non-consensual content. The investigation stems from reports that X’s algorithms may have distorted automated data processing, leading to Grok generating posts denying the Holocaust and producing sexually explicit deepfakes. Grok previously claimed Auschwitz gas chambers were used for 'disinfection' rather than mass murder, before later retracting the statement. French authorities summoned Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino for interviews in April but did not attend. The probe began after a February search at X’s French offices, linked to an earlier cybercrime investigation opened in January 2025. Prosecutors also alerted U.S. authorities, suggesting the deepfake controversy may have been orchestrated to artificially boost X and xAI’s stock value. Grok’s behavior sparked global outrage this year, with users generating nonconsensual deepfake images. French lawmakers initially flagged biased algorithms, prompting the expanded probe. Musk and Yaccarino remain under scrutiny as managers of X during the alleged incidents.