Asger Risom
A weekend update on X set off a storm across the platform, triggering accusations of doxxing, political intrigue, and widespread confusion.
A weekend update on X set off a storm across the platform, triggering accusations of doxxing, political intrigue, and widespread confusion. What began as a transparency rollout quickly turned into a public backlash, forcing the company to partially retract the feature within hours.
Feature sparks backlash
According to reporting by Business Insider, the uproar started after Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, announced an “About This Account” section designed to show where an account is based. He framed the change as a move to strengthen platform integrity, saying it would help users assess the authenticity of what they see.
But many users — especially those in countries with restricted speech — said the feature exposed them to political risk. Others warned that VPNs could distort the data, making location labels misleading. Critics argued the update amounted to forced disclosure of sensitive information.
Within hours, X removed the location information for several accounts. Bier acknowledged that details for older profiles were “not 100 percent” accurate and promised the feature would return “by Tuesday.” Later, he posted again, writing simply: “I need a drink.”
Unexpected revelations
The temporary rollout gave users just enough time to investigate their opponents online. Reuters noted that several accounts promoting pro-Trump messaging appeared to be based far from the US.
One high-profile account, MAGA NATION — which has roughly 400,000 followers — was listed as operating from a non-EU Eastern European country. Another account called America First, created in March and known for posts such as “Thumbs up if you’re a Trumper who loves God,” appeared to originate in Bangladesh.
Memes quickly followed, amplifying the perception that many political accounts may not be run by the people they claim to represent.
Longstanding problems
Experts told Reuters that none of this is new. Fake profiles, coordinated influence campaigns, and disinformation have long circulated on X and other social platforms, with the rise of AI only making such efforts easier to scale.
MAGA NATION has continued posting despite the scrutiny. The account has changed its name five times since April 2024, according to X’s internal data.
