The hunt for fraudsters continues on social networks. The National Commission for Information Technology and Liberties (CNIL) has just validated a system which allows tax agents to collect and analyze all data published on your Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn accounts, in particular through the use of automated tools boosted with artificial intelligence.
This new measure, which aims to combat tax fraud, was adopted by a decree of December 31, 2024 and published on Wednesday January 1, 2025 at Official Journal. It completes a system which already allowed Bercy agents to track undeclared swimming pools via Google Maps, and suspicious sales on rental sites such as Airbnb and second-hand sites such as Le Bon Coin or Vinted.
Private messages cannot be used
This new system allows tax agents to create official accounts on social networks to access public user data. A measure which aims in particular to verify the adequacy between the lifestyle displayed on social networks and tax declarations, or to identify taxpayers who claim to be domiciled abroad while residing in France.
The CNIL points out, however, that this data is limited to “content freely accessible and clearly made public by users”, and that private messages cannot therefore be used as proof of fraud in court.
The decree also specifies that the collection of data can only take place in the context of specific suspicions concerning “certain offenses exhaustively listed by law”. However, this will concern both individuals and companies, who may be prosecuted for “reductions or concealment of revenue”.
France
