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X's location transparency feature reveals foreign-based political accounts
A new transparency tool on X, formerly Twitter, has uncovered dozens of high-engagement accounts posting about U.S. politics while operating from outside the country, raising concerns about misinformation and platform authenticity.
The feature, which displays user locations in an "about this account" tab, has exposed accounts on both sides of the political spectrum-pro-Trump and anti-Trump-with significant followings but foreign origins. Some of these accounts have amassed millions of impressions, potentially earning revenue through X's monetization program.
Pro-Trump accounts with foreign origins
One prominent example is the account "TRUMP_ARMY_", which celebrated a Supreme Court ruling on deportation policies and has over 500,000 followers, including a senior Republican senator. X's data reveals the account is based in India and has changed its username four times since March 2022. After exposure, its profile was updated to read, "an Indian who loves America, President Trump, Musk!"
Another account, "IvankaNews_", a self-described fan page for Ivanka Trump with over 1 million followers, was found to be operating from Nigeria. The account had previously posted about voting in U.S. elections and had altered its username 11 times since 2010. Following the revelation, it posted a defense, stating, "some of us living outside the USA genuinely support President Trump's movement." X has since suspended the account, though the reason remains unclear.
Anti-Trump and pro-independence accounts also exposed
Foreign-based accounts aren't limited to pro-Trump voices. An account with 52,000 followers, claiming to be a "proud Democrat" and "professional Maga hunter," was revealed to be operating from Kenya. The user deleted their profile after the location was exposed.
Additionally, several accounts purporting to support Scottish independence-posting almost exclusively on the topic-were found to be accessing X from Iran. These accounts had small followings, and BBC Verify's attempts to contact them went unanswered.
Monetization and verification concerns
Many of the exposed accounts held blue ticks, indicating they subscribe to X's Premium service, which allows monetization based on engagement. To qualify for X's monetization program, users must pass identity checks and accumulate over 5 million impressions within three months.
Critics argue the blue tick system undermines trust. Alexios Mantzarlis of Cornell Tech told BBC Verify, "The blue ticks on these accounts tell us one thing we already knew: X's pay-for-play badging is just a revenue generator and not a serious verification effort." He acknowledged, however, that features like "community notes"-which allow users to add context to viral posts-demonstrate some commitment to transparency.
Motivations behind location deception
Experts suggest mixed motivations for hiding account locations. Darren Linvill, a misinformation researcher at Clemson University, noted, "There are accounts run by troll farms, by nation-states, and then there are accounts just trying to make a buck by pretending to be American."
Mantzarlis added that financial incentives play a role: "There is always some money to be made from fanning America's culture wars on social media." He also highlighted that organized actors, including political groups, have repeatedly used sockpuppet accounts to manipulate discourse.
Accuracy and limitations of X's tool
X claims its location data is 99% accurate, though the feature includes a disclaimer about potential inaccuracies due to VPNs, travel, or temporary relocations. Nikita Bier, X's head of product, stands by the tool's reliability.
Linvill warned, however, that bad actors may quickly adapt: "They can round it by VPN, they'll adapt the way they're creating their account so it appears they created their account in the west or in the United States."
Broader implications
The revelations underscore ongoing challenges in social media authenticity, particularly as platforms balance transparency with monetization. While X's new feature provides users with more context, experts caution that determined actors will find ways to circumvent such measures.
"The blue ticks on these accounts tell us one thing we already knew: X's pay-for-play badging is just a revenue generator and not a serious verification effort."
Alexios Mantzarlis, Cornell Tech
