By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
A new feature has been added to the social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), which allows users, on a limited basis, to see the countries where other accounts are based.
The platform noted that the update, which became effective on Sunday, November 23, aims to increase transparency and help curb foreign interference and misinformation.
Although the feature was not immediately visible to all users, some could navigate to an account’s bio, select the date the account joined X, and view its country of origin.
In a post on October 14, X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, said the update is intended to help users verify content.
He posted: “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.
“As part of that, we’re experimenting with displaying new information on profiles, including which country an account is based, among other details.
“Starting next week, we will surface this on a handful of profiles of X team members to get feedback.”
With the new update, some users are now allowed to view additional account details, including the location and date of creation, verification status, country of origin, number of username changes, and the country’s app store through which it was connected.
Some users who applauded the new feature say displaying country-based labels makes it easier to identify accounts spreading misinformation, engaging in foreign interference, farming engagement unethically, or impersonating users from other countries.
For critics, however, the new feature raises privacy concerns, as they argue that not all users may want their locations publicly displayed.
In striking a balance, X offers an option to display a broader geographical region or continent instead of a specific country.
The new update on the platform is part of X’s ongoing efforts to enhance content verification and ensure users have better context for the information they encounter on the platform.
