X Location Feature Reveals Misleading US Political Accounts
X’s new location feature has exposed misleading US political accounts. The tool shows where users are actually based. However, some accounts claiming to be in the US are located overseas.
Several pro Trump accounts gained millions of impressions, which can lead to payments from X. For example, the account @TRUMP ARMY has over half a million followers. X data revealed it is based in India. The username has changed four times since 2022.
Similarly, @IvankaNews_, a Trump fan account with over a million followers, is based in Nigeria. It changed usernames 11 times since 2010. X later suspended the account, but the reason is unclear.
Anti-Trump accounts also showed misleading locations. One account with 52,000 followers claimed to be a proud Democrat but was based in Kenya. Other accounts supporting Scottish independence were reportedly accessing X from Iran, even though they claimed to be in Scotland.
Many of these accounts had blue ticks, allowing them to monetize content. Experts warn that X’s pay for play badges encourage misleading behavior. Alexios Mantzarlis from Cornell Tech says these badges generate revenue rather than verify users.
Researchers note mixed motivations behind fake locations.
Some accounts are run by troll farms or political actors. Others aim to profit from US culture wars. Darren Linvill from Clemson University explains that bad actors will likely find workarounds, such as VPNs, to appear US based.
X aims to improve transparency through features like community notes, but experts believe deception will continue. As social media evolves, users must stay alert to hidden agendas and false claims.
