Elon Musk’s social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, introduced a new feature on March 9, 2024, that allows users to identify the geographic origin of accounts. This development has sparked significant discussions regarding the potential influence of foreign entities on political discourse in the United States.
Shortly after the feature’s launch, researchers from NewsGuard, a firm specializing in tracking online misinformation, discovered that numerous prominent accounts associated with the MAGA movement, boasting thousands or even hundreds of thousands of followers, are based outside the United States. These accounts have been identified as key purveyors of misleading and polarizing narratives related to U.S. politics, including claims that Democrats bribed moderators during the 2024 presidential debates.
Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, announced the rollout of the “About This Account” tool, which enables users to view the country or region of an account’s origin. To access this information, users simply need to click on the signup date displayed in the account profile. Bier emphasized the importance of this feature for enhancing the integrity of online discussions, stating, “This is an important first step to securing the integrity of the global town square. We plan to provide many more ways for users to verify the authenticity of the content they see on X.”
In regions with strict speech regulations, X offers a privacy option that allows users to display only their region rather than a specific country. For example, an account in India may identify itself as being located in South Asia. Bier asserted that following an update, the location accuracy of the tool would reach 99.99 percent, although independent verification of this claim has not yet been provided.
Concerns about the accuracy of location data persist, particularly since accounts can employ virtual private networks (VPNs) to obscure their actual locations. Some accounts include disclaimers indicating that their location data may not be reliable. This can occur either due to the use of a VPN or because certain internet service providers automatically route traffic through proxies without user intervention.
Alexios Mantzarlis, director of the Security, Trust, and Safety Initiative at Cornell Tech and a former director of the International Fact-Checking Network, cautioned against over-reliance on location data. “Location data will always be something to use with caution,” he remarked. “Its usefulness probably peaks now that it was just exposed, and bad actors will adapt. Meta has had similar information for a while and no one would suggest that misinformation has been eliminated from Facebook because of it.”
As X continues to navigate the complexities of misinformation and foreign influence, this new tool may play a crucial role in shaping how users engage with content and interact with accounts on the platform. The implications for the upcoming 2024 presidential election, along with ongoing debates about online transparency and accountability, remain to be seen.
