A new feature introduced by X (formerly Twitter) has set off a major political debate in India after it revealed that several accounts actively involved in Indian political conversations appear to be operated from outside the country.
The feature, called “About This Account,” displays the country where an account is based. Soon after its rollout, users and investigators found that many handles discussing Indian elections, communal issues and political parties were shown as being located in Pakistan, the UAE, Ireland, the US and other foreign regions.
What the Feature Revealed
According to a report by India Today, accounts presenting themselves as Indian using Indian names, flags and political hashtags were flagged by X as being operated from foreign locations. Some of these handles had been posting heavily on sensitive topics such as protests, religious tension, caste conflicts and political criticism.
One widely shared example includes a handle with an Indian woman’s photo and “Jai Hind” in the bio, which the new feature marked as being based in Pakistan.
Political Reaction
The revelation led to immediate political disagreement.
Members of the ruling party said the findings indicate possible foreign attempts to influence political discourse in India. They alleged that some accounts critical of the government are not Indian-operated, and accused them of spreading misleading narratives during political events.
Opposition-linked digital groups countered that location data alone cannot be treated as definitive proof.
Accuracy Concerns
Experts have also raised questions about the reliability of the feature.
X has added a disclaimer stating that the country shown “may not always be accurate” because account locations can be affected by VPN use, travel, proxy networks or technical routing issues.
Despite this, the feature has triggered a deeper scrutiny of political conversations on social media.
Why It Matters
The controversy comes at a time when online influence, misinformation and digital propaganda are already major concerns in India.
The new findings have raised fresh questions about:
-
the authenticity of political accounts
-
foreign involvement in Indian social media debates
-
the transparency of online platforms
For now, investigations continue, and both the accuracy and impact of the location tool remain under close watch.