The X platform launched a new feature called “About This Account” to increase transparency and ensure platform security. This feature aimed to reveal the country in which accounts were created and where they are currently located (as opposed to the location from which they are linked). However, the release of the feature caused significant information confusion on the social media platform.
The “About This Account” feature caused chaos on X
With the feature’s activation, it became clear that many accounts, particularly those focusing on American politics, sharing polarizing content, and posing as local activists, were actually operated from other countries. Users discovered that some popular and high-followed accounts claiming to be based in the United States were actually posting from countries like Nigeria, Bangladesh, Russia, and Thailand. This sparked significant debate about the authenticity of engagement-driven accounts on the platform and foreign influence campaigns.
Following the controversy and user complaints, X Product Manager Nikita Bier announced that there were some glitches in the system and that these would be fixed soon. The company acknowledged that the data wasn’t 100% accurate, particularly for older accounts, and decided to remove the country of origin for accounts. Warnings were issued, noting that inaccurate location information could be due to VPN use, travel status, global teams, or outdated IP addresses.
Due to systemic glitches, the accounts of some well-known figures, such as Hank Green, who lives in the US, appeared in unrelated locations like Japan, while some media outlets were listed in the wrong countries. Despite these technical glitches, the fact remains that the feature exposes foreign troll farms and fake networks designed for monetization. It’s clear that many accounts operate under fake identities and locations to capitalize on platform interaction revenue (monetization).
What are your thoughts on Sen X’s new transparency initiative and the resulting picture? Have you ever encountered such accounts on the platform? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
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