X, formerly known as Twitter, is set to introduce a feature that shows the country where a user is based directly on their profile. This update aims to enhance trust and combat misinformation on the platform. Announced in October 2025, the change is part of broader efforts to provide more context about accounts.
This development comes as social media platforms face increasing scrutiny over fake accounts and coordinated inauthentic behavior. By displaying location data, X hopes to help users better evaluate the credibility of posts and profiles. Whether you're a casual user, influencer, or business, this could impact how you interact on the site.
What Is X's New Country Display Feature on User Profiles?
The new feature will add a "Account based in" section to user profiles, visible to everyone. Currently in testing, it draws from data like IP addresses, app store connections, or self-reported locations. For example, if your account is connected via the United States App Store, it might show "United States."
Nikita Bier, a product lead at X, shared on the platform that this is part of experiments to show more profile information, including join date and username history. The goal is transparency: users can quickly see if an account claiming to be from one place is actually based elsewhere.
This isn't entirely new. X already allows users to add locations to bios or posts, but this automated display makes it standard and harder to fake. It's similar to how LinkedIn shows locations, but tailored for X's fast-paced environment.
Why now? With elections and global events, misinformation spreads rapidly. Showing country origins could help flag foreign influence campaigns. Elon Musk's vision for X as an "everything app" includes building trust through verifiable data.
How Does X Determine Country Location for Profiles?
X uses multiple signals to determine a user's country. Primary methods include:
- IP Geolocation: Your internet connection's location data.
- App Store or Payment Info: If you've subscribed to X Premium, it might use billing address.
- Account Settings: Users can manually set their country in settings.
- Device Data: Location from phone or computer sign-ups.
It's not foolproof. VPNs can mask IP addresses, leading to inaccuracies. X mentions privacy toggles, possibly allowing opt-outs, with notices if hidden.
To check or change your country, go to Settings > Account > Country. This affects ads and content, but soon might influence profile display. If mismatched, update it to reflect your actual base.
For travelers or expats, this could show your current connection country, not home. X hasn't detailed how often it updates, but likely real-time or periodic.
Benefits of Displaying Country on X User Profiles
First, Improved Transparency: Knowing a user's country helps contextualize opinions. For instance, during international news, you can see if commentary comes from affected regions.
Second, Combating Misinformation: Bots and troll farms often hide origins. Visible countries could deter such activities or make them easier to spot.
Third, Better Engagement: Users might connect more with locals, fostering global discussions with awareness of perspectives.
For brands, it aids targeted marketing. Influencers can build authenticity by matching claimed locations.
Overall, it aligns with X's push for real-world verification, like blue checks, to create a more trustworthy space.
Why is X Adding Country Locations to Profiles?
The announcement from X cited a primary goal: to bolster platform integrity and transparency. But what does that mean in practice? Let's decode the reasons behind this significant update.
Enhancing Platform Transparency and Trust
By displaying a user's country, X aims to provide immediate context for the opinions and information being shared. Knowing that an account passionately debating a local election is actually based in that country adds a layer of credibility. Conversely, it can reveal when a large volume of commentary on a specific national issue is originating from outside that nation, which is valuable context for all users.
Combating Misinformation and Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior
This is a major weapon in X's arsenal against bad actors. State-sponsored troll farms and coordinated bot networks often operate from a centralized location. By making the country of origin visible, it becomes harder for these networks to mask their operations. If thousands of accounts pushing a specific narrative all mysteriously show the same country code, it raises a red flag for both users and X's own moderation team, making it easier to identify and dismantle inauthentic campaigns.
Providing Context in Global Conversations
The world is increasingly interconnected. A conversation about economic policy, a sports event, or an international treaty can involve users from dozens of countries. Seeing a user's country helps others understand their perspective, potential biases, and the frame of reference from which they are speaking. It adds a layer of nuance to global dialogues happening on the platform.
How to Manage Your Privacy and Disable the Location Feature
Privacy is a fundamental right, and you may not be comfortable with X automatically broadcasting your country. The good news is that X provides an option to disable this feature. The process is straightforward, but the setting can be a bit buried. Follow these steps to hide your country location on your X profile.
Conclusion: You Are in Control of Your Digital Footprint
The introduction of country locations on X profiles is a significant development with clear benefits for platform integrity and clear concerns for individual privacy. It is designed to add context and combat inauthentic behavior, but its implementation requires users to be proactive about their settings.
The most important takeaway is that you have the power to control this feature. You can choose to leave it enabled to contribute to a more transparent network, or you can disable it with a few clicks to prioritize your privacy. We strongly recommend that you review your X settings today, understand the implications of this new feature, and make the choice that is right for you. In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, staying informed is your first and best line of defense.