When X (formerly Twitter) announced a global rollout of ‘About This Account’, the timing instantly caught global attention. This new transparency feature, unveiled by X executive Nikita Bier, allows anyone to see the country or region where an account is based simply by tapping the profile’s sign-up date. In Bier’s words, it is “an important first step to securing the integrity of the global town square.”
In a couple hours, we'll be rolling out About This Account globally, allowing you to see the country or region where an account is based. This will be accessible by tapping the signup date on profiles.
This is an important first step to securing the integrity of the global town… pic.twitter.com/5d7cX21qGj— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) November 22, 2025
For Nigeria, this update is arriving at a particularly sensitive moment. Online conversations have been heated for weeks, fuelled by viral claims, urgent commentary, and intense debates about violent attacks across the country and how different groups are interpreting the situation.
Add to that the reactions, including widely discussed statements made by former U.S. President Donald Trump, tagging Nigeria a ‘Country of particular concern’ and the digital environment has become increasingly charged.
With this background, X’s new transparency tool has landed right at the centre of a global storm, and for Nigerians navigating truth, propaganda and identity online, this change raises important questions.
A Feature Designed for Online Safety and Transparency
According to Nikita Bier, this rollout represents a substantial push towards authenticity and platform integrity. He emphasised that X wants to “provide many more ways for users to verify the authenticity of the content they see,” especially in a digital world where misinformation spreads faster than facts.
Users can now:
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tap a profile’s join date
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instantly see the account’s country or region
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check whether the account’s location aligns with its claims
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use new privacy toggles if they are based in regions where speech attracts penalties
This last point is particularly important. Bier acknowledged that in certain countries, a user’s region can expose them to risk, so X allows them to hide it, a move that tries to balance transparency with personal protection.
From a broad perspective, About This Account aims to make the platform safer for millions of users dealing with impersonation, political interference and scam activity. But for Nigerians, the benefits, and risks, deserve deeper examination.
Time Is of The Essence
Over the past few weeks, social media has been filled with claims, counter-claims, commentary and global concern about attacks across Nigeria. Online discussions have been intense, emotionally charged and heavily polarised.
Some users describe the situation as targeting a specific religious group. Others argue that multiple communities are affected. There have been heated disagreements about root causes, motives and narratives.
Adding another layer, former U.S. President Donald Trump made public statements and social media posts expressing strong opinions about the situation in Nigeria. These posts sparked international commentary, diplomatic conversations, and widespread debate on X, further amplifying tensions.
Complaints about inaccuracies have already started rolling in. Why’s the data off? There are a few reasons. Travellers or organisations with staff spread across different countries might show up as “based” somewhere they aren’t, at least temporarily. VPNs can throw it off. Old IP addresses, outdated info… a little bit of everything. At the time of writing, it’s still a messy picture.
This is important context because Nigeria’s online space is deeply influential. Millions of citizens depend on social platforms for news, community updates, political conversation and national commentary. In times like this, identity verification becomes critical.
X’s new feature attempts to address this exact problem: helping people figure out who is speaking, from where, and with what possible intentions, especially when the information being shared has serious implications.
Potential Advantages for Nigerians
1. Exposing Fake Accounts Influencing National Conversations
Nigerians are painfully familiar with anonymous accounts presenting themselves as activists, journalists or eyewitnesses.
During heated national moments, these accounts can:
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spread unverified claims
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exaggerate numbers
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create panic
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impersonate community leaders
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post content designed to divide groups
With location transparency, more users can cross-check the origin of accounts inserting themselves into Nigeria’s sensitive issues.
An account claiming to be posting from Jos or Kaduna but showing a completely different region raises instant red flags.
2. Improved Protection Against Scammers and Impersonators
X is one of the most commonly used platforms for scams in Nigeria, from crypto impersonation to fake humanitarian groups.
Knowing a scam account’s actual region:
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helps victims detect fraud
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helps authorities track patterns
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makes it harder for bad actors to hide
This update will particularly help those who rely on X for donations, crowdfunding or community outreach.
3. A Stronger Foundation for Digital Trust
Trust is deeply fragile online. With the level of tension surrounding Nigeria’s current discussions, even real eyewitness reports are often doubted.
By showing where an account originates, X gives users an added layer of confidence or caution. It’s not a perfect solution, but it is a meaningful step toward reducing confusion.
4. A Useful Tool for Journalists and Researchers
Nigerian journalists, fact-checkers and analysts often struggle to sift through contradictory claims during national crises.
About This Account becomes a practical tool for:
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verifying sources
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cross-checking narratives
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identifying foreign interference or coordinated influence campaigns
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assessing credibility
For Pulse Nigeria readers, this change directly supports more accurate reporting.
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