Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) has launched a new location tool aimed at “verifying authenticity” of profiles by displaying the country where an account is based. However, experts warn that this feature could lead to confusion and misinformation. Daniel Angus from Queensland University described it as “weaponised decontextualisation,” as users may use VPNs or have outdated location settings, leading to inaccuracies.
Once the tool was rolled out, many users reported misrepresentations of their locations, such as journalist Motasem A Dalloul being listed as in Poland while covering the Gaza conflict. The Australian Labor Party was incorrectly shown as based in the U.S., and other Australian accounts faced similar inaccuracies.
While the tool could theoretically help identify coordinated misinformation, Angus argues it cannot reliably assess individual accounts. Notably, a disclaimer indicates the data might not be accurate due to temporary relocations or VPN use. Experts are skeptical about X’s claims of increasing transparency, citing that Musk’s era has seen a rise in disinformation on the platform. Angus emphasized that the new feature represents a breach of user trust, as many were unaware their location data would be publicly visible.
