PARIS (AP) — Elon Musk's social media platform X on Monday denied accusations from French prosecutors of alleged data tampering and fraud, calling them politically motivated.
X was responding to an announcement earlier this month from the Paris prosecutor’s office, which said it was opening an investigation into the two alleged offenses.
Both offenses involved an "automated data processing system," according to prosecutors, who provided scant details of the alleged wrongdoing. They are potentially punishable in France with a jail term of up to 10 years.
The platform said French authorities were carrying out a "politically-motivated criminal investigation into X over the alleged manipulation of its algorithm and alleged ‘fraudulent data extraction’.”
“X categorically denies these allegations,” it said in a post from its Global Government Affairs account.
The prosecutor’s office has said it acted on information that two people provided in January to its cybercrimes unit. One of them is a member of parliament, and the other is a senior official in a French government institution. It didn’t identify them or the institution.
Prosecutors said the two people alleged suspected use of X’s algorithm for the “purposes of foreign interference,” without providing details.
The platform said it “remains in the dark” about the the specific allegations. “However, based on what we know so far, X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech.”
The Paris prosecutor’s office said Monday that it has asked X to grant police investigators access to its algorithm, as part of the probe.
The request was made in a letter last week, it said. It said that “investigators are bound by confidentiality and that only those in charge of the investigation will have access.”
The office said it hasn’t had a formal response from X.
FILE - The opening page of X is displayed on a computer and phone, Oct. 16, 2023, in Sydney. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — John Marino scored at 4:03 of the third period to break a tie and give the Utah Mammoth a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.
Marino also assisted on Nick Schmaltz's 17th goal of the season and Karel Vejmelka made 26 stops as the Mammoth won for the fifth time in six games.
Mikko Rantanen scored and Jake Oettinger had 25 saves for Dallas, which has lost nine of its last 11 games.
Schmaltz broke a scoreless deadlock with 7 seconds left in the second period, tipping in a feed from Marino. It was the fourth latest goal in any regulation period in Utah's short franchise history.
The Mammoth nearly made it 2-0 just 38 seconds into the third, but Lawson Crouse had his goal wiped off the board for high-sticking.
Rantanen leveled the score with a power-play goal at the 2:04 of the third.
Marino answered two minutes later, snapping the puck home from long distance to put the Mammoth up 2-1 with his second winning goal of the season.
Utah improved to 16-1-1 this season when leading after two periods.
Stars: host Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Mammoth: host Seattle on Saturday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Dallas Stars defenseman Kyle Capobianco, right, moves the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (55) shoots the puck against Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston, right, moves the puck against Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson, center left, fights for the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (6) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
