Country of origin tags on public profiles coming to Musk's X soon

Social media platform X is internally testing a new transparency feature that will show the country of origin on user profiles. Head of Product Nikita Bier revealed the upcoming update on Tuesday, saying the platform is testing ways to display additional account information to help users better judge credibility. 

According to Bier, the feature is meant to provide more context about where accounts operate from, in light of how anonymous and state-backed accounts spread misinformation. It said the trial phase will begin with internal accounts before testing is extended to the public.

“We’re experimenting with displaying new information on profiles, including which country an account is based, among other details,” Bier wrote in a statement on X. “Starting next week, we will surface this on a handful of profiles of X team members to get feedback.”

Head of product reveals new feature comes with privacy exceptions

When asked if X would also show which device a post originated from, a feature that existed during Jack Dorsey’s Twitter tenure, Bier confirmed the team is discussing the idea. “We’re experimenting with various device details for users to form judgements on authenticity,” he wrote.

Some users asked whether displaying a country of origin could expose individuals to legal or political risks, particularly in areas like the UK, which have protection laws. Bier noted the concerns, saying there would be “privacy toggles” for users to manage visibility.

“There will be privacy toggles. However, if a user configures them, that will likely be highlighted on their profile,” he added, suggesting that opting out may itself be visible to others. “In EU countries where speech can have penalties, we should substitute country for region—to preserve their right of free expression.” 

Elon Musk and X are contesting new child safety rules in Australia, urging regulators to delay implementation of a law banning children under 16 from using social media platforms starting December 10. The company said obligations should begin at least six months after the release of regulatory guidelines, which were issued only this month. 

Australia’s eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, wrote to more than a dozen tech firms earlier this month to clarify how they plan to comply with the upcoming restrictions. 

Grant said she does not intend to pursue enforcement actions immediately in December but will instead monitor for “systemic failures” to comply with the new rules. Under the legislation, companies that fail to meet compliance requirements could face fines of up to $50 million.

In the list of upcoming updates, Bier also mentioned synced drafts, where users can access unposted drafts saved on the mobile app from the web interface, which will launch soon after being absent for nearly 10 years.

Denmark’s police move away from X due to misinformation

Outside corporate headquarters, X is facing setbacks in Denmark, where local and national police forces have announced they will no longer issue operational messages on X. Instead, they will share updates through the Danish news wire Ritzau and their official websites.

“We are pleased to have this partnership with the police,” Ritzau’s CEO Jacob Kwon said in a statement. “It is a natural extension of the business model we stand for, that news desks across the country can get quick access to important information.”

Danish police have been using X for quick updates about ongoing incidents and emergencies, but algorithms and misinformation, according to Danish authorities, have forced them to reclaim direct control of their messaging. Several media outlets, including DR, Ritzau, and Journalisten, have already quit X.

“The important thing for the police was to communicate directly with news desks, and they can do that on the Ritzau platform,” Kwon said.

René Gyldensten, head of communications for the National Police, told newspaper Børsen earlier this year that misinformation problems on the platform have made it almost entirely unreliable for official communication. 

The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them.