X’s newly introduced country-locator feature is already exposing unexpected details about user identity on the platform.
Gatekeepers News reports that just two days after the microblogging service — formerly known as Twitter — activated a tool that automatically displays the country location of users, several public figures have discovered that accounts impersonating them are being operated from Nigeria.
Juanita Broaddrick, a U.S. author and political commentator, was among the first high-profile users to raise the alarm. After checking the location tags of accounts mimicking her identity, she found they were all based in Nigeria.
“All my impersonators are in Nigeria,” she wrote in a post on her verified X account.
Before the feature was rolled out, Broaddrick had little information about who was behind the fake accounts. But the new update revealed their likely locations within minutes, showing “Nigeria” instead of “United States” — where she resides.
According to X, the location tag is part of a broader push to limit misinformation, reduce bot activity, and discourage identity theft. However, the tool is already sparking debate about privacy, profiling, and whether it could expose some users to targeted harassment.
Breanna Morello, who identifies on X as an independent journalist, shared a similar experience. She said the update showed that all accounts claiming to be her supporters were also located in Nigeria.
“I just learned that all of my fan accounts are in Nigeria,” she posted, adding to the fast-growing conversation about the impact of the feature on anonymity and user behaviour.
The new country tags have also revealed that an account presenting itself as an Ivanka Trump “News” page — known for posting political updates — is likewise being operated from Nigeria.
As the feature continues to roll out, more users are discovering surprising information about who exactly is behind the accounts they interact with.
