Xs location revealing feature is live. Heres how to make it less precise.
Over the weekend, Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), introduced a new and contentious feature that displays each user’s country of residence. This rollout, however, was met with significant backlash and confusion, as the feature appeared to be imprecise, leading to concerns about user privacy and safety. Initially, the company seemed to pull back on the feature only to reinstate it shortly after, leaving many users perplexed and unsettled. The ability for anyone to see where an account is based raises serious privacy issues, with some users expressing fears of being stalked or targeted based on their location.
While some individuals have embraced the feature for its potential to enhance online detective work—allowing them to ascertain where specific accounts are located—others are wary of the implications for personal safety. To mitigate these concerns, X has provided users with options to limit the visibility of their location. By navigating to Settings and Privacy, then Privacy and Safety, and finally About your account, users can choose to display either their specific country or a broader region or continent. This workaround offers a semblance of privacy, although it may not fully alleviate the worries of those who prefer to keep their whereabouts confidential. For users seeking additional anonymity, utilizing a VPN while accessing X can obscure their real location, albeit with the caveat that it may result in displaying an inaccurate or unexpected location, complicating personal and professional interactions.
The rollout of this feature highlights the ongoing tension between transparency and privacy on social media platforms. As users grapple with the implications of having their locations publicly accessible, X’s approach raises questions about the responsibilities of tech companies in safeguarding user information. While the intention behind the feature may be to foster connectivity and authenticity within the platform, the execution has left many feeling exposed and anxious about their online presence. As discussions around digital privacy continue to evolve, it remains to be seen how X will address these concerns and what further changes might be implemented to balance user safety with the platform’s social dynamics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQi_zU4Nb_U
Over the weekend, Elon Musk’s X has
rolled out
a highly controversial feature that shows every account’s country of residence.
The roll out didn’t exactly go smoothly, with the company seemingly pulling then re-instating the feature which was shown to be very imprecise.
Still, many users are worried. While
some
used it for “detective,” work, revealing where this or that account is based in, others
expressed concern
that they can now effectively be stalked, as the feature shows which country they’re currently in.
If you don’t like the idea of everyone knowing which country you reside in at the moment, X currently offers the way to make this feature less precise. Go to Settings and Privacy – Privacy and Safety – About your account.
Not the perfect fix, but better than nothing.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable/X
There, you can choose whether X will show the country you’re in, or a broader region or continent.
Alternatively and additionally, you can use
a VPN
while connecting to X, which might be able to throw it off (but it also may result in a random location showing for you, which could result in some misunderstanding, such as explaining to your boss why you’re in Bali when you should be working from your home office in Boston).
