X will soon show if a profile is utilizing a VPN

This development has the potential to reveal a significant number of X (formerly Twitter) accounts that are currently operating as trolls, particularly those frequently posting content related to foreign politics and associated matters.

X recently announced plans to soon enhance user profiles with new data. This update will include when the account was created, the creator's location and a history of any username changes.

The new 'about this profile' section

Making this information accessible via a user's profile will allow any user to easily identify manipulator and bot accounts. 

This is crucial for highlighting those accounts designed to antagonize, provoke and amplify divisive content within the application.

X has announced that new profile elements are "rolling out very soon," according to a post. Additionally, X is developing another potentially valuable data point: an indicator that will show if an account is utilizing a VPN to conceal its actual location.

Contextualizing X/Twitter comments with profile data

This extra account information will be available under a new section titled "About this profile." 

While it won't necessarily be displayed prominently or within the main feed, it offers X users a means to potentially explain or provide context for certain comments and remarks. 

This is achieved by enabling others to understand the user's location and their potential interest in foreign activities.

Combating Foreign Influence on X/Twitter

Foreign operations frequently exploit social media platforms, including X, to disseminate propaganda and amplify divisive issues. 

This is a significant, widespread problem on these platforms. Their goal is often to destabilize or undermine foreign governments by exacerbating existing concerns.

The wider problem of coordinated influence operations

Indeed, Microsoft has repeatedly identified large-scale influence activity from China, targeting U.S.-based social media platforms, while in 2025 alone, Google has terminated more than 10k YouTube channels linked to coordinated influence operations run by Chinese state actors, along with hundreds more connected to Russian operations.

The reported reduction in X's moderation buffers, intended to promote free speech, has concurrently made the platform a more significant target for influence operations. 

Consequently, the introduction of new indicators could serve as a valuable tool to diminish this influence and mitigate the effects of such activities.

User vigilance is key to effectiveness

These new features, however, will only be effective if users pay attention. Should X successfully promote awareness, the influence of foreign operatives on the platform could diminish. 

This is because users, at least in the comments section, are likely to point out suspicious details like a noted location or the use of a VPN, thereby reducing the impact of such misleading comments.

However, this is contingent upon users actively bringing up this concern or noting this point, during any relevant discussion.

This development is positive for transparency, potentially offering X users significantly more context regarding the content they consume and the identity of the poster.

The launch of the new "About this profile" data page in the app appears imminent.

Leveraging TweetStormAI tools for enhanced context and moderation

While the article focuses on X's new transparency features, specifically the "About this profile" section showing account details, location and VPN usage, tools like those offered by TweetStormAI can play a complementary role in how users and platforms manage the increasingly complex information landscape.

1. Content generation tools (AI tweet generator, reply generator)

Tools such as the AI Tweet Generator and Reply Generator, available in the browser extension, can help legitimate users engage more effectively and authentically.

• Elevating authentic voices: By reducing the time and effort required for composing high-quality, relevant posts and replies, these tools enable genuine users and domain experts to participate in discussions more frequently. This can help to drown out the noise generated by troll accounts and coordinated influence operations, ensuring that informed perspectives are amplified rather than marginalized.
• Rapid, contextual engagement: In discussions targeted by foreign influence, rapid, well-articulated counter-arguments are crucial. The Reply Generator allows users to quickly synthesize coherent responses that acknowledge the new profile context (e.g., "Note the VPN use, but regarding your point...") without spending excessive time drafting.

2. Discovery and efficiency tools (Hashtags generator, username generator)

Other tools offered by TweetStormAI, while not directly related to identifying VPN usage, can improve a user's overall defensive posture on the platform:

• Hashtags generator: By helping users identify the most relevant and trending hashtags, this tool ensures that important counter-narratives or transparency efforts (e.g., calling out influence operations) reach a broader, more legitimate audience, increasing the visibility of authentic content over manipulative content.
• Username generator: While intended for finding new user names, its underlying efficiency algorithms could potentially be adapted for quickly analyzing the patterns in the usernames of flagged accounts. Highlighting systematic similarities in bot account naming conventions could aid user vigilance.

3. Mass action tools

If TweetStormAI offers mass action tools (e.g., for bulk following/unfollowing or similar profile management), these must be utilized ethically.

• Ethical vigilance: Mass action tools could potentially be used by platform vigilantes to efficiently monitor or flag accounts identified as suspicious based on the new "About this profile" data. However, the primary benefit here is streamlining the legitimate user's interaction with the platform, allowing them to quickly prune their feed of likely manipulative or spam accounts identified using X's new transparency features.

In essence, while X's new features provide the data for identifying problematic accounts, TweetStormAI's tools can provide the efficiency for authentic users to react quickly and maintain a dominant, legitimate presence on the platform, thereby diluting the overall impact of foreign influence operations.

Final thoughts

X's imminent release of the "About this profile" section, which includes account creation details, location history and crucially, an indicator for VPN usage, marks a significant and necessary step toward platform transparency. 

However, the efficacy of this move hinges entirely on user engagement. The new features provide the raw data, but users must actively incorporate this context into their consumption and discussion. The overall positive impact will be measured by how quickly and consistently the user base leverages this information to call out suspicious activity.

Furthermore, as demonstrated by the potential complementary role of tools like TweetStormAI, platform-driven transparency must be coupled with user efficiency. When legitimate voices are given the tools to react quickly and effectively, by posting high-quality, relevant content, they can better maintain dominance over coordinated influence operations. 

FAQs

What is the main new feature X (formerly Twitter) is implementing?

X is introducing a new section on user profiles called "About this profile" which will display enhanced account data, including when the account was created, the creator's location, a history of username changes and an indicator showing if the account is utilizing a VPN.

Why is the VPN indicator significant?

The VPN indicator is crucial because it can help reveal a significant number of accounts operating as trolls or engaging in coordinated influence operations, particularly those frequently posting content related to foreign politics while attempting to conceal their true location.

What other account details will be included in the "About this profile" section?

The section will include the account creation date, the creator's current or registered location and a history of any previous username changes.

media.

Will these new features automatically stop influence operations?

No. The article suggests the features will only be effective if users actively pay attention and leverage the new data. Users must actively point out suspicious details (like noted location or VPN use) in discussions to diminish the influence of misleading comments.

How can tools like TweetStormAI complement X's new transparency features?

While X provides the data, tools like TweetStormAI can provide the efficiency. Content generation tools (like AI Tweet Generator) help legitimate users post high-quality content more frequently and efficiency tools (like Reply Generator) allow them to quickly formulate contextual responses, helping to dilute the impact of manipulative content.