Canadian researchers specializing in tracking online misinformation and foreign interference are embracing a new feature that discloses the whereabouts of social media accounts. However, they caution that the tool still has imperfections and advise interpreting its findings cautiously.
The capability to uncover the actual locations of accounts holds the potential to unveil fake profiles and foreign entities posing as Canadians to sway political narratives. Nevertheless, there are concerns that this feature could jeopardize individuals, such as dissidents, by exposing their locations or the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) for online communication.
Recently, Twitter, now known as X, introduced an “about this account” feature that discloses the geographic location of accounts. While many advocates for transparency in combating misinformation on social platforms had urged for such a feature, its sudden arrival surprised many users.
The rollout triggered a rapid response, prompting users in the U.S. and Canada to scrutinize accounts where the listed location did not align with claimed locations. Notably, several influential accounts supporting President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement were identified as being situated outside the U.S., including regions like Eastern Europe, Russia, and Nigeria, sparking suspicions of foreign influence on the movement.
Similarly, discrepancies in location information were observed in accounts engaging in discussions about Canadian politics. For instance, a prominent Conservative-leaning account with over 150,000 followers was marked as being in Italy, while an account advocating for Alberta sovereignty with 15,000 followers was indicated to be in Thailand.
Furthermore, issues arose with the location listings of two federal political parties and media organizations. Despite the Conservative, Bloc Québécois, and Green Party accounts being correctly listed as Canadian-based, the Liberal Party and New Democrat accounts were inaccurately shown as being in the United States.
Regarding this discrepancy, the NDP’s national director, Lucy Watson, clarified that the erroneous location stemmed from the NDP’s use of a VPN to secure online activities, emphasizing that their account operations are conducted from Canada. The Liberal Party spokesperson, Matteo Rossi, redirected inquiries to X, affirming that all Liberal Party social accounts are managed from Canada.
While this development has raised questions about the accuracy of the location data, experts explain that the feature relies on IP addresses associated with the accounts to determine their locations. Despite potential inaccuracies, the feature is viewed as a step towards transparency in countering malicious online activities.
In conclusion, while the new tool shows promise in aiding researchers, there are concerns that it could compromise the safety and privacy of individuals relying on VPNs for protection. As the feature evolves, experts advise cautious interpretation of the data and critical evaluation of online content.
