X now shows account origin country, confirming what India long suspected

On 22nd November, social media platform X rolled out a major update which is being described as one of the most significant changes in recent years, especially after billionaire Elon Musk took over. The platform now displays a country label for every user account across the world based on the device location and the app store it is connected to. Source: X The feature allows users to see where an account is based simply by clicking on the date the profile joined X. It will help users identify accounts used for propaganda or coordinated influence. Notably, there is also an option to hide the country of origin and show the region instead. X claims that this switch will help accounts stay “anonymous” in regions where there are strict restrictions on speech on social media. In a post on X, platform’s Head of Product, Nikita Beir said, “And for those in countries where speech has penalties, we’ve included privacy toggles to only show your region.” While several users have embraced the feature, others have raised concern that the feature may lead to regional targeting or new forms of online abuse. In a couple hours, we'll be rolling out About This Account globally, allowing you to see the country or region where an account is based. This will be accessible by tapping the signup date on profiles. This is an important first step to securing the integrity of the global town… pic.twitter.com/5d7cX21qGj— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) November 22, 2025 The information is visible once a user clicks on any profile’s date of joining the platform. For example, if the device location is “India”, it will show the country of origin as India. Also, if an account is connected via the Android Play Store based in India, it will show the information in “Connected via”. However, in case the account has been connected via VPN or proxy in the past, the location might not be accurate. Source: X Until now, anyone could claim any identity, geography or background and participate in political conversation without even the faintest disclosure of where the account originated. This opacity allowed anonymous networks and politically charged handles to enjoy protection while posting anti-India content. This protection has now become a feature of the past as anyone can check and verify if the user should have a say in political or regional discussions or not. A feature that immediately exposes origins of political voices The disclosure has made something very clear. Several accounts that have dominated Indian political discourse for years are not based in India at all. The same goes for other countries as well. The country label may not prove where someone physically lives today, but it shows where the account was set up or where its digital footprint was established. For a country that has long suspected foreign involvement in domestic narratives, the confirmation has opened fresh discussions. In October this year, X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, explained the purpose behind the update. According to Bier, when someone reads content on X, they should be aware of the origin of the account so that they can judge the authenticity of the viewpoint being propagated by the account. When you read content on X, you should be able to verify its authenticity. This is critical to getting a pulse on important issues happening in the world.As part of that, we're experimenting with displaying new information on profiles, including which country an account is… pic.twitter.com/OYgT1OiJdA— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) October 14, 2025 Alt News listed as ‘based in the United States’ Alt News is one of the most controversial accounts on social media in the context of India. While the company claims to be a fact-checking initiative, it is well known that the founders of Alt News, Mohammed Zubair and Pratik Sinha, are highly biased. Zubair has been caught multiple times posting fake news on social media and then quietly deleting it. Source: X Alt News has been central to many of India’s political flashpoints. The account’s information shows that it is “based in United States”. This revelation has caused debate on social media. Alt News has always presented itself as a rooted, homegrown Indian entity deeply embedded in the country’s political environment. Its criticism, activism and fact-checking claims are all framed as being local responses to local issues. While the label might not be the actual location of the account, the disclosure weakens the claim that all domestic activism on the platform is truly domestic. Regional labels and the art of selective ambiguity Another account that caught the eye was “Indian Muslim Archieve” that has the handle “Rustum_0”. The account shows “South Asia” as origin and is known for posting misleading history content. Source: X Furthermore, several social media users claimed that the account “Nimo Yadav” showed “Account Based in South Asia” and posted screenshots. However, wh