Based in US or Bangladesh? X erupts over location feature

CONCERNS RAISED OVER EXPOSURE OF DISSIDENTS IN AUTOCRATIC STATES

- Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON: Elon Musk’s X erupted in uproar after the rollout ofa feature revealing an account's location, exposing what users describe as global troll farms and influence operations on the platform — including in support of Donald Trump.

X's head of product Nikita Bier launched the feature over the weekend, allowing users “to see the country or region where an account is based”, ina bid to boost transparency on a platform that tech experts say is rife with disinformation. “This is an important first step to securing the integrity of the global town square,” Bier wrote on X.

The launch triggered a wave of online sleuthing.

Almost immediately, the platform flooded with posts flagging dozens of right-wing internet personalities — promoters of Trump's “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) or “America First” political slogans — whose location data showed they were in Nigeria, Bangladesh, or Eastern Europe.