X (formerly Twitter) recently introduced a new “About This Account” feature designed to increase transparency. However, the rollout has exposed what some see as a major problem: a surprising number of prominent right-wing accounts claiming to represent American voices are actually operated from outside the United States.
The Data Leak and Initial Reactions
The new feature displays account creation dates, app download locations, and geographic information. This data quickly became the subject of scrutiny when left-wing influencer Micah Erfan posted screenshots showing several self-described “America First” accounts allegedly based in countries like Japan, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Thailand. Erfan’s post, labeled as “total armageddon for the online right,” went viral.
The accounts flagged include both small profiles and those with significant followings (some with hundreds of thousands of users). The most prominent example is @American, which appears to be operated from Pakistan.
X’s Response and Data Accuracy Concerns
Nikita Bier, X’s director of product, described the feature as “an important first step to securing the integrity of the global town square.” However, the launch was not without issues. Many users reported wildly inaccurate location data.
Bier later admitted that the feature wasn’t perfect, particularly for older accounts, and promised fixes by Tuesday. This admission raises questions about the reliability of the data and whether it accurately reflects real user locations.
Why This Matters
The discrepancy between stated identities and actual locations could undermine the credibility of certain online voices. The presence of foreign-operated accounts posing as American users suggests coordinated attempts to influence U.S. political discourse. While the extent of such activity remains unclear, the incident highlights the vulnerability of social media platforms to foreign interference.
The feature’s rollout, though intended to enhance transparency, has instead sparked controversy and raised new questions about the authenticity of online identities. Despite acknowledging inaccuracies, X seems committed to refining the tool, implying that such location-based data may become more prevalent in the future.
