The social network X, owned by Elon Musk, has rolled out a new feature aimed at enhancing transparency. User profiles now display the country or region where the accounts are based. This information can be found under the «About This Account» tab, which also indicates the account creation date and name change history. Reports The New York Times.
According to product head Nikita Bir, this is «the first step towards ensuring the integrity of the global public square». The company plans to introduce more tools for content authenticity verification.
The launch of this feature has sparked mixed reactions. Users have noted that several accounts actively commenting on political issues in the US are registered in other countries, including Japan, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Thailand. This has raised suspicions about the origins and true owners of such profiles.
Particular attention has been drawn to accounts frequently promoted by Elon Musk himself, significantly increasing their visibility.
Criticism and Risks
Critics argue that the new feature could pose risks to security and privacy. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warned that the system is easily manipulable: accounts can fake their location, posing as users from the USA or the UK. He believes this opens the door for foreign trolls and political campaigns.
Some members of the crypto community have described the change as «psychotic», as it may endanger real users by exposing their locations without adequate protection.
Political Context
The feature has already become a topic of discussion in the US, where users have started to verify the origins of accounts spreading political messages. Notably, it was discovered that some accounts branded MAGA (Make America Great Again) are based outside the country. This has raised new questions about foreign influence on the American political discourse.
Additionally, a US lawsuit revealed internal documents where social media employees likened their platforms to narcotics.
