France, July 21 -- A French probe into alleged foreign interference and bias via the algorithm at Elon Musk-owned social network X is "politically motivated", the company said in a post Monday, adding that it was refusing to cooperate.

"X believes that this investigation is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech," the social network said.

It added that it "has not acceded to the French authorities' demands" to access its recommendation algorithm and real-time data, "as we have a legal right to do".

Earlier this month, Paris prosecutors stepped up apreliminary probe into Xfor suspected algorithmic bias and fraudulent data extraction, enlisting police to investigate alleged wrongd...