In a significant move to enhance platform transparency, X has officially begun the global rollout of its new 'About This Account' feature. This innovative tool promises to give users clearer insights into who they are interacting with on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Global Launch Confirmed by X Product Head
Nikita Bier, X's head of product, confirmed the worldwide deployment on Sunday, announcing that the feature would become active across all regions within hours. Bier described this development as an important step toward protecting what he called the 'global town square' - referring to X's position in the digital public sphere.
According to Bier, users can access the new information by simply tapping on the sign-up date displayed on any profile. This action will reveal crucial details including the account's country or region of origin, the number of times the username has been changed, the original join date, and how the account was first downloaded.
Combatting Bots and Inauthentic Behavior
The primary objective behind this feature is to reduce inauthentic engagement, particularly from automated accounts and bots that attempt to mimic real users. This persistent challenge for X is expected to become even more complex with the rise of AI-generated content, making such transparency tools increasingly vital.
X first indicated it was working on this feature back in October, when Bier revealed that the company was experimenting with displaying these details on his own profile and those of company employees. The company believes that by making this information publicly accessible, users will be better equipped to assess whether an account is trustworthy or potentially attempting to spread misinformation or manipulate discussions.
Privacy Considerations and Future Plans
Recognizing that online speech carries legal or personal risks in certain countries, X has incorporated privacy controls that allow users in these regions to limit the visibility of their location information. This balanced approach aims to protect vulnerable users while maintaining overall platform transparency.
Bier also noted that X intends to expand the range of verification tools available to users in the future, providing even more ways for people to judge the authenticity of content they encounter on the platform.
The product head publicly acknowledged the scale of this undertaking, describing it as a significant engineering project and thanking several engineers who contributed to making the feature a reality. The global rollout now offers users additional context that could fundamentally change how they interact and engage on the platform.
