X's Location Feature Exposes a Real Problem, but Does Not Fix It

"Toward the end of, X began listing account locations in the "About this account" section of people's (or bots') profiles. X also can list the platform through which users access the social media site, such as the web app or a region-specific app store. With these new transparency features, X exposed that major MAGA influencers are likely operating from Eastern Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia."

"One factor driving foreign accounts to masquerade as domestic political commentators could be commercial gain. Heated political debate, abundant in the United States, drives engagement, which can be monetized. Account owners posing as Americans may also be funded or operated by America's adversaries who seek to shape votes, increase social divisions, or achieve other strategic goals. The problem of foreign adversaries pretending to be American is not new."

X added account-location and access-source listings in profiles' About this account sections. The listings show that many prominent MAGA influencers and other U.S.-facing political accounts likely operate from Eastern Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia, and that some accounts claiming American identities connect via foreign app stores. Foreign operators may impersonate Americans to monetize heated U.S. political debate or to run influence campaigns funded by adversaries aiming to shape votes and deepen social divisions. Historical examples exist, but the internet has dramatically increased the scale and speed of such operations, with documented Russian, Chinese, and Iranian campaigns targeting Americans.

Read at The Cipher Brief