(MENAFN) Social media platform X has strongly criticized French officials, describing an ongoing investigation into its operations as a “politically motivated criminal investigation.”

The inquiry, launched over accusations of algorithm manipulation and “fraudulent data extraction,” has drawn a firm denial from X regarding any wrongdoing.

On Monday, X’s Global Government Affairs division revealed that the investigation was initiated by French lawmaker Eric Bothorel, a member of President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party.

The case reportedly began in January, following claims from Bothorel and another high-ranking French official who alleged that X’s algorithm was being exploited for “foreign interference.”

The platform has refuted every allegation made against it.

Eric Bothorel, a consistent critic of the Elon Musk-owned network, has accused X of distributing “an enormous amount of hateful, racist, anti-LGBT+ and homophobic political content.”

He believes this content plays a role in shaping political conversations within France.

X further alleged that French authorities had demanded access to its “recommendation algorithm and real-time data about all user posts.”

These materials were to be shared with experts whom the platform characterized as openly antagonistic toward it.

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