X Plans to Show User Location Data or VPN Use

Nikita Bier, head of product at X, made a post explaining that X would be testing showing additional profile details, including which country the account belongs to and how many times the account name has changed. The test will initially only affect “a handful” of X team member profiles to collect feedback.

Bier’s post also gave the reasons for the test, indicating that it’s a way to mitigate the effects of social manipulation through bot accounts.

“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.”

— Nikita Bier, X head of product

There’s significant evidence that social media sites are used to initiate foreign interference in elections and public opinion.

A 2020 report found evidence of “81 countries using social media to spread computational propaganda and disinformation about politics,” an increase from the previous year, when the researcher “identified 70 countries with cyber troop activity.”

If X starts reporting user country information in profiles, there could be more clarity about which accounts are “cyber troops” versus which ones are actual people.

MacRumors also reported that X will show a warning in the “about your account” area that will show if users are using a virtual private network (VPN), displaying “Country or region may not be accurate.”

A VPN works by encrypting and routing your internet traffic through a VPN server in a different location, masking your true IP address and making it appear as if you’re based in that server location.

Privacy experts are concerned of unintended consequences of exposing VPN information on X because there are several safety reasons why someone might want to use a VPN with X/Twitter, beyond acting as a cyber troop.

There are several countries—such as China and Iran—that block X entirely, and users in those areas need VPNs to access the platform. Meanwhile other countries have placed temporary bans, such as when Brazil blocked the social media platform in 2024 following a legal dispute about misinformation. Governments might also temporarily crack down on the free internet during civil unrest or protests, such as Nepal in 2025.

There are other privacy benefits for users, even if X isn’t banned in their country. Some people use VPNs to prevent stalking or doxxing. Additionally, employees and students might face network blocks on social media sites when workplaces and schools try to reduce distractions.

We will continue to monitor this topic as X tests sharing this information publicly.