X, previously known as Twitter, has been recognized as a platform utilized for foreign influence campaigns aimed at American politics. A significant focus has been on Russian troll farms, which the U.S. government has targeted on various occasions. The introduction of X’s “About This Account” feature has shed light on the extent and geographic spread of foreign troll activity on the platform.
Following the feature’s launch, users noted an emergence of accounts, purportedly focused on U.S. politics, that were based outside the country. For instance, profiles with names symbolizing American political sentiment were traced back to locations in Nigeria and Eastern Europe. One verified account claiming to represent a U.S. border czar was identified as originating from Eastern Europe, while another account, initially thought to come from the U.S., was discovered to be operating from Bangladesh. Furthermore, a network of accounts branded as “Trump-supporting independent women” was revealed to be based in Thailand.
As discussions unfolded, threads began collecting evidence of many accounts claiming to be American but belonging to foreign actors globally. Certain right-wing commentators noted similar trends among left-wing users, fueling a growing catalog of alleged fake or troll accounts that appeared to incite political tension.
Shortly after the feature’s debut, X removed details indicating where accounts were created and included disclaimers about the potential for inaccuracies in account location due to travel and technology like VPNs. Despite this clarification, concerns remain regarding the authenticity of many accounts.
It is suspected that some of these troll accounts may be part of state-sponsored influence operations, with countries like Russia and China seeking to disrupt the American political landscape. Additionally, many of these accounts may also be motivated by the prospect of financial gain, as earnings from monetization on X can be substantial in developing nations compared to local standards.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/827298/about-this-account-reveals-the-scale-of-xs-foreign-troll-problem