Elon Musk's X will display which nation users post from
Key Takeaways
- X is testing a significant profile overhaul to combat misinformation and restore user trust.
- The new profile display will automatically show the user's base country, join date, access method, and username change history.
- The user's base country will be determined by the location from which they post, not necessarily user-generated input.
- Head of Product Nikita Bier confirmed that privacy toggles will be available, but user-configured data will be highlighted.
- The changes follow the removal of the legacy verification system, which allowed spammers to exploit paid verification.
Elon Musk's X discontinued its legacy verification program, which previously authenticated noteworthy users, leading to increased issues with misinformation and racism as paid verification became widely available. To address this erosion of trust, X's new head of product, Nikita Bier, announced an upcoming overhaul of user profiles designed to enhance transparency. This new display will automatically list details such as the user's country of origin (based on posting location), the account's join date, how the user accesses the platform, and the number of past username changes. Bier stated this is critical for verifying content authenticity, although privacy toggles will be available for sensitive information. The platform is currently experimenting with the exact data points to include, and the feature will first roll out on a small group of employee profiles for feedback. This move mirrors similar transparency efforts seen on competing platforms like Meta's Facebook.
