Social Media and Disinformation

X has begun displaying public account locations in its "About This Account" info, prompting scrutiny after the tool showed several popular political and MAGA‑branded accounts that present as American as originating in places like Eastern Europe, Asia, or Africa — for example, @BarronTNews_ (580,000+ followers) lists "Mar A Lago" yet is flagged as "Eastern Europe (Non‑EU)." Supporters of the feature argue it’s highly accurate, but researchers warn location data can be spoofed and bad actors will adapt, and the tool has already been targeted by misinformation, including fake screenshots falsely claiming U.S. accounts are foreign.