X recently started rolling out a new feature that suggests many right-wing “America First” accounts are actually based outside the U.S. However, the accuracy of this data is in question.
The new “About This Account” feature from X provides details on when a user joined and how they downloaded the app, but the geographic location aspect is getting the most buzz.
Left-wing influencer Micah Erfan shared a gallery of MAGA accounts allegedly located in Japan, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Thailand, stating, “This is total armageddon for the online right.”
Many of the accounts raising eyebrows, such as the Pakistan-based @American, are relatively small, while others boast hundreds of thousands of followers.
X’s director of product, Nikita Bier, mentioned on Saturday that the feature is being implemented globally and called it “an important first step to securing the integrity of the global town square.” However, some users have reported that their listed locations are wildly off. Bier admitted that the “data was not 100% for old accounts” and indicated that “a few rough edges … will be resolved by Tuesday.”
The Verge pointed out that while there are indeed rage-bait accounts and troll farms operating outside the U.S., many of the reported locations seem dubious, likely due to factors like travel, global teams, VPNs, or outdated IP addresses.
