X has started rolling out a new profile feature that shows information about an account’s history, including its location, the number of username changes, when those changes occurred, the original join date and how the user downloaded the X app. The company says the feature is intended to reduce inauthentic engagement on the platform, where bots often imitate real users, a challenge that becomes more complex as AI-generated behavior increases.
Feature Origin and Early Testing
X announced its plans for the tool in October, when head of product Nikita Bier said the company would begin experimenting with displaying this information on employee profiles, starting with his own. The goal is to help users determine whether an account appears authentic or may be operated by a bot or a bad actor trying to spread misinformation or provoke disputes.
Bier referenced the feature last weekend after a user asked Elon Musk to require location visibility on profiles. Bier responded, “Give me 72 hours,” and more users began reporting access to the new “About this account” section shortly after.
What Users Can See and How to Access It
On the web and in the X mobile app, users can access the information by clicking the “Joined” date on their profile. The page shows the join date, the account’s listed base location, the count and timing of any username changes and how the account accessed the platform, such as through the U.S. App Store or Google Play.
Some users around the world said the feature appeared on their own profiles, but TechCrunch could not view this information on other people’s profiles at press time. X may be allowing users to preview and update their details before releasing the feature more widely.
Privacy Controls and Location Display Options
X allows users to choose whether their profile displays their country or only a broader geographic region. The company initially said this setting would apply to areas where free speech could carry penalties, but TechCrunch found that U.S. users also have access to the same controls. Country display is the default setting.
Users can update the preference through the “About your account” option inside the X app’s “Privacy and Safety” settings.
Possible VPN Detection Feature Under Development
A reverse engineer examining the app’s code found indications that X may be working on a feature that warns others when an account is using a VPN to mask its location. If released, the warning would say that the user’s listed country or region “may not be accurate.” It is unknown when or if the feature will launch.
Rollout Details and Industry Context
X did not respond to a request for comment about the rollout timeline. Bier, however, joked about recent user sightings of the feature, implying that it is reaching accounts gradually.
Instagram already offers an “About this account” feature, providing a similar level of transparency for user profiles.
Featured image credits: Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash
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