Overview
- X introduced an “account based in” label that shows a country or region for each profile, with product head Nikita Bier calling it a first step toward greater transparency.
- The feature identified many high-engagement accounts focused on U.S. politics—including pro-Trump pages—as operating from Nigeria, India, eastern Europe and Thailand.
- X posted a notice that the data may be inaccurate due to factors like travel or legacy records, and Bier acknowledged “rough edges,” particularly for older accounts.
- Investigators tied the new disclosures to prior research, with CIR’s Benjamin Strick confirming a network posing as Trump-supporting women is concentrated in Thailand.
- A number of exposed profiles have been suspended, while analysts debate whether the behavior reflects state-backed influence efforts or monetization-driven rage bait under X’s engagement payouts.