• Social media platform rolls out About This Account feature showing user location data
• Accounts claiming to report from Gaza traced to Pakistan, Poland, Eastern Europe
• Popular American political accounts revealed operating from Turkey, Nigeria, South Asia

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (TDR) — Social media platform X launched a transparency feature Nov. 22 that reveals account location data, exposing numerous accounts that misrepresented their geographic origins to followers, according to X head of product Nikita Bier.

The About This Account tool displays where an account is based, how many times the username changed, the account creation date and how the user downloaded the app. Users access the information by tapping the join date on any profile.

Political accounts exposed across spectrum

Within hours of rollout, users discovered accounts presenting themselves as American conservatives operated from overseas locations. One account with over 140,000 followers described its owner as a constitutionalist and patriot, but the feature revealed it was based in Turkey.

“When you read content on X, you should be able to verify its authenticity. This is critical to getting a pulse on important issues happening in the world.”

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Another account with more than 200,000 followers was exposed as operating from South Asia before being deleted. The Centre for Information Resilience previously flagged the use of fake accounts during the 2024 election.

Gaza reporting accounts traced to distant countries

The feature revealed accounts claiming to document events in Gaza were posting from locations far from the conflict zone. One user identifying as a Gaza-based journalist with over 197,000 followers was shown posting from Poland.

The Times of Gaza account, which has nearly one million followers and claims to provide news updates from occupied Palestine, was traced to East Asia and the Pacific region. Other accounts presenting themselves as Gaza residents were found operating from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Turkey.

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Users posing as North Gaza survivors were located in Pakistan, while self-described Rafah residents posted from Indonesia, according to platform analysis. Some accounts continued claiming Gaza locations despite contradictory data displayed by the new feature.

Technical limitations and privacy considerations

X representatives acknowledged the feature has limitations. Users can employ VPN services to mask their actual locations. When VPN use is detected, X adds a warning next to the listed location.

The platform includes privacy toggles for users in countries with speech restrictions, allowing them to display only their region rather than specific country. Code analysts found evidence X is developing additional tools to alert users when accounts attempt to disguise locations with VPNs.

Feature temporarily removed, then reinstated

The tool disappeared hours after initial launch Friday, prompting speculation about the reason for removal. Some users suggested the exposure of account origins may have prompted the temporary pullback. The feature was reinstated and remains accessible, though rollout remains uneven across the platform.

Bier stated the feature aims to reduce inauthentic engagement and help users identify coordinated manipulation efforts. The transparency tool follows similar features implemented by Instagram and Facebook.

What standards should social media platforms maintain for account location transparency?

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