How X’s New Location Feature Caused An Online Stir

A weekend update on X brought a wave of conversation after Nikita Bier, the head of product, announced that the platform had added an About This Account page. The page shows the region where an account is based. Bier said the update first surfaced in October and formed part of the company’s plan to strengthen trust. He wrote that the feature would help people judge the authenticity of content and he called it a first step toward improving transparency.

The update rolled out worldwide and pulled data from signup IP addresses, app store regions and access history. The information sat under the new About This Account label, and users rushed to test it on accounts they follow. Instead of calm interest, the update stirred suspicion and worry. Many users said the feature exposed them in ways they could not control. They also feared that the tool could place people at risk in regions where speaking freely carries consequences.

The feature lasted only a short while in its full form. On Saturday the platform removed the location detail for a portion of accounts. Bier later said that the data was not accurate enough for older accounts and he expected the update to return on Tuesday. Five hours after that, he posted that he needed a drink.

How Did People React?

Business Insider wrote that many people did not welcome the change. Some feared that the region shown could expose them in places where free speech is policed. Others felt thrown off because VPNs or old signup data could produce the wrong region. The mix of fear and confusion stirred up the reaction that spread across timelines.

Users then rushed to check the About pages of accounts they distrust or dislike. That behaviour brought new surprises. A number of MAGA themed accounts that describe themselves as America First or supportive of Trump appeared to be based far away from the United States. One account called MAGA NATION, which has roughly 400000 followers, showed a location in an Eastern European country outside the European Union. Another account called America First, which started in March and has close to 70000 followers, appeared to be based in Bangladesh. One X user posted that many accounts claiming to be independent Trump supporting women were actually based in Thailand.

The reaction spread to meme makers who jumped at the chance to poke fun at the update. Screenshots of mismatched regions filled timelines. People joked about accounts that sounded patriotic but looked like they were run from far off places. The mix of suspicion and humour fed the momentum and kept the topic on the trending page.

Why Did These Discoveries Create Such Noise?

The discovery that many loud voices on X do not operate from where they say they are added fuel to long standing frustration about fake profiles and organised misinformation. X has dealt with these patterns for years and the spread of AI has made fabricated personas much easier to run. The location tool did not solve that problem, but it gave users a peek behind the curtain. That peek turned into a talking point across political lines.

MAGA NATION did not address the region displayed and carried on posting at speed. According to X the account has changed its name five times since April 2024. One recent post asked followers whether Hillary Clinton should be arrested. Messages sent to the people behind the account went unanswered.

In the wider reaction, people debated whether the tool helped uncover misleading behaviour or whether it clashed with personal safety. Grok’s summary of how the feature works added to the chatter. It noted that the tool draws from multiple data points and that it surfaced regions linked to Nigeria, India, Macedonia and Europe for several right leaning influencers. Even Fox News displayed Germany despite its strong ties to the United States.

The entire episode became a reminder that online identities do not always match the image they project. X users used the update to inspect rivals, call out inconsistencies or express worry about their own privacy. The update will return in the coming days, according to Bier, and many users will watch closely to see what the next round of information reveals.