France’s Raid on X Escalates Trans-Atlantic Showdown Over Social Media

French authorities raided the Paris offices of X over allegations involving the distribution of child sexual images and content denying crimes against humanity, while Spain moved to bar social media for children under 16 and to make tech executives criminally liable.

European prosecutors also issued summonses to American tech leaders, including Elon Musk. Republicans in the United States responded with a House Judiciary Committee report accusing Europe of weaponizing regulations to harm American free speech. Mr. Musk called the Spanish prime minister "a tyrant and traitor," and X accused French investigators of circumventing due process.

The clash reflects a deeper divide between the United States’ hands-off approach and Europe’s more aggressive regulation, exemplified by the European Union’s Digital Services Act and a roughly $142 million fine levied against X. European leaders say such measures are aimed at protecting citizens from abuse and disinformation and at pushing platforms to address illicit content.

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