What's happened
Since late November 2025, X (formerly Twitter) has rolled out an "About This Account" feature showing where accounts are based. This exposed many popular US-focused political accounts, especially pro-Trump and pro-Israel ones, as operated from countries like India, Eastern Europe, Nigeria, and Bangladesh. The move aims to increase transparency but raises privacy and safety concerns.
What's behind the headline?
Foreign Influence and Monetization Drive Online Political Noise
The unveiling of account locations on X exposes a complex ecosystem where foreign actors, opportunists, and possibly state-backed entities exploit US political divisions for profit and influence. Many accounts posing as American conservatives or activists are actually based in South Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and elsewhere, often changing usernames frequently and posting polarizing content.
Transparency vs. Privacy Risks
While the feature aims to secure the "global town square" by authenticating content origins, it also risks exposing legitimate users in sensitive regions to harassment or political repercussions. Privacy toggles are limited and vague, raising concerns about forced doxxing and safety, especially for users in countries with speech restrictions or conflict zones like Gaza.
The Economics of Disinformation
The incentive structure on X, which pays creators based on engagement, fuels the creation of provocative, rage-inducing content. This monetization model encourages the proliferation of divisive posts, regardless of authenticity, amplifying foreign and domestic misinformation alike.
Political and Social Implications
The revelation that many influential accounts are foreign-operated challenges narratives about grassroots political movements in the US, including MAGA and pro-Israel factions. It complicates efforts to understand genuine public opinion and highlights vulnerabilities in US political discourse to external manipulation.
Outlook
Expect continued scrutiny of social media platforms' role in political influence and misinformation. Platforms like X will face pressure to refine transparency tools while balancing user privacy and safety. Users and policymakers must approach online political content with increased skepticism, recognizing that loud online voices may not represent authentic domestic sentiment.
What the papers say
The Independent's Ariana Baio highlights how President Trump reposted praise from accounts based in South Asia, suggesting a lack of quality control on his platform, Truth Social. The Guardian details the backlash following X's location feature rollout, revealing many pro-Trump accounts originate overseas, with experts debating whether these are state-backed or financially motivated. Al Jazeera focuses on privacy concerns, noting that the feature could endanger users in restrictive countries and provoke harassment, especially among Palestinian activists. AP News emphasizes the discovery of misleading accounts spreading US political misinformation from abroad, while the NY Post underscores the scale of foreign influence operations shaping US political discourse, including anti-Israel and MAGA-related content. Business Insider UK provides context on the monetization incentives driving controversial content creation on X, warning that engagement-based payments fuel rage-bait and misinformation. The New Arab exposes pro-Israel and pro-MAGA accounts based outside the US, some using AI-generated images, and discusses the broader propaganda landscape on X since Elon Musk's acquisition. Together, these sources paint a multifaceted picture of foreign influence, platform transparency efforts, and the challenges of balancing authenticity with privacy and safety on social media.
How we got here
X introduced the "About This Account" feature to boost transparency and combat misinformation by revealing account origins. This follows longstanding concerns about foreign influence on US politics via social media, especially after the 2016 election and the 2024 cycle, where fake accounts and disinformation campaigns proliferated.
Go deeper
- How does X determine the location of accounts?
- What are the privacy risks of revealing account locations?
- Are these foreign accounts coordinated influence campaigns or profit-driven?
Common question
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How Are Foreign Actors Influencing US Social Media Accounts?
Recent investigations reveal that many influential US-based social media accounts are actually operated from abroad, often with false locations. This raises concerns about foreign influence campaigns aimed at shaping American political discourse, especially on divisive issues like Israel and MAGA politics. But how exactly are foreign actors manipulating social media, and what does this mean for US democracy? Below, we explore the key questions surrounding foreign influence and misinformation on social platforms.
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How Are Foreign Countries Influencing US Politics Today?
Recent reports reveal that foreign actors are actively involved in shaping US political debates through disinformation campaigns and social media manipulation. With many influential accounts operating from abroad, it's crucial to understand how foreign influence works, what impact it has on public trust, and how to spot fake accounts. Below, we explore the latest examples and what you can do to stay informed and vigilant.
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How do foreign countries influence US political accounts on social media?
Recent changes on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have shed light on how foreign countries operate US political accounts online. With the new feature revealing account locations, many popular US-focused political pages are now linked to countries like India, Nigeria, and Eastern Europe. This raises questions about foreign influence, privacy, and the integrity of online political debates. Below, we explore what this means for US politics and social media users alike.
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Why is revealing social media account origins important?
The recent rollout of features revealing the country or region where social media accounts are based has sparked a lot of questions. Why does knowing where an account operates matter? How does it impact online safety, political discourse, and privacy? Below, we explore the key reasons behind this move and what it means for users and the broader digital landscape.
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Are US political accounts really operated from other countries?
Recent changes on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have shed light on the foreign origins of many US political accounts. This raises important questions about influence, transparency, and safety online. Are these accounts genuinely operated from abroad? Why is this information being revealed now? And what does it mean for political discourse? Below, we explore these questions and more to help you understand the complex landscape of foreign influence on US politics through social media.
More on these topics
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Elon Reeve Musk FRS is an engineer, industrial designer, technology entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the founder, CEO, CTO and chief designer of SpaceX; early investor, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; founder of The Boring Company; co-foun
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Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.