X’s New Location Feature Raises Questions About China-Based Propaganda Accounts: Experts

Many profiles claiming to be overseas Chinese appear to be logging in from inside China without VPNs, prompting experts to warn of state-run influence activity.

A file photo shows the logo of U.S. online social media and social networking service X on a smartphone screen in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images

The latest update on X, which displays the country or region where an account is operating, has triggered scrutiny of Chinese accounts that have long claimed to be located abroad.

Users discovered that many such profiles appear to be logging in from inside China without using VPNs.