A new feature on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, can now reveal the location of profiles created on the micro-blogging site, leading to questions over the origins of several propaganda accounts.
Over the weekend, X users noticed that clicking on an account’s join date opens a tab that shows the country or region in which a specific user is located.
A number of pro-Israel and pro-MAGA accounts, which claim to operate from Israel or the US, have now been exposed as being located outside of these locations.
Several such accounts have amassed hundreds of thousands as followers, and have had many posts go viral.
Among such accounts is 'Mariana Times,' an account created in June 2023 that churns out pro-Israeli propaganda, Islamophobic posts and encourages users to post "content" in favour of Israel. The account has its location stated as South Asia.
'Marina Times' has an image of an Israeli woman with the country’s flag behind her as its profile picture. The image, however, appears to be AI-generated.
The account has amplified far-right US figures’ inflammatory comments on Islam, posting inflammatory questions such as: "People of which religion have proved to be the most terrorists until now?" and asks followers for their opinion on topics such far-right attempts to ban religious clothing worn by some Muslim women in the West.
Another pro-Israel profile, 'VividProwess,' was exposed as being located in India. The account boasts nearly half a million followers, and regularly features anti-Palestinian rhetoric, calling the concept of Palestine "a lie" while celebrating the destruction of Gaza, and amplifies far-right content.
'VividProwess' has since appeared to alter their location to Israel. X has placed a notice on their account saying that the data "may not be accurate," indicating that the user may have edited their profile.
The account has also posted content supporting Narendra Modi, the right-wing prime minister of India, while advocating for stronger relations between India and Israel.
Other pro-Israeli X accounts, posting content supportive of the Israeli military, have been shown to be located in Nigeria.
Bangladesh First?
As for the pro-MAGA camp, one account, called 'America First,' was revealed to be located in Bangladesh. Since its creation in March this year, the account has amassed over 65,000 followers and has gone on to post pro-Donald Trump and conservative content, as well as content in support of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Erika Kirk, the wife of murdered far-right activist Charlie Kirk.
The account describes itself as "promoting good and resisting evil" - a phrase reminiscent of an Islamic expression.
Numerous other Trump-supporting X accounts have had their location uncovered as being outside the US, prompting conversations on how some accounts may be hired to spread propaganda and disinformation, which have been rampant since Tesla billionaire Elon Musk acquired Twitter in October 2022, renaming it "X".
Since the outbreak of the deadly war in Gaza in October 2023, Israel has been accused of using social media as a tool to spread misinformation, as well as amplify justifications for its military campaign.
X has been widely criticised as a breeding ground for right-wing misinformation and propaganda ever since Musk took over.
A slew of right-wing Indian social media accounts have spread pro-Israeli disinformation since October 2023, voicing support for its military amid the genocide in Gaza.
The new X feature, however, has also triggered attacks on Palestinian activists on the app, with some Palestinian accounts showing "Israel" as their location or that they connected to X through the Israeli App Store.
Israel occupies the West Bank and has imposed a years-long blockade on the Gaza Strip. Apple, as an American company, only lists countries officially recognised by the US on the App Store, with Palestine not being one of them. This makes it impossible for a Palestinian App Store to exist.
Other Palestinian activists, whose locations were shown to be outside of Gaza, said that they have given access to loved ones overseas in a bid to prevent doxxing, and for the sake of their safety as Palestinians.