Since X, formerly Twitter, rolled out its new account location feature, users are having a field day discovering where accounts are actually based, and it’s proving to be a surprising game-changer.
The feature, designed to let users check the region an account is posting from, has revealed that many popular accounts are not physically located in the countries they often appear to represent. This has been especially noticeable with accounts that post expert-level analysis on sports, politics, or global affairs.
Take football-centric account The Anfield Talk, for example. Known for its in-depth coverage of Liverpool FC, the account recently revealed it’s based in Kenya. For an account that often presents as having an almost Merseyside pulse, the revelation sparked an immediate reaction, especially among the local Kenyan social media sphere. In response to the backlash, The Anfield Talk clarified that its admin team includes multiple contributors, one of whom is from Kenya. The account also condemned the wave of abuse and racism targeted at its staff.
While the account rightly condemned the ensuing abuse, the fact remains that a major source of perceived-to-be-local Liverpool content is largely managed from Kenya. The reaction from Kenyans online has been a mixture of amusement, schadenfreude (enjoyment gained from the misfortune of others), and perhaps a quiet sense of local digital pride in the global footprint, even if the account was attempting to mask its origin.
Another notable case is Global Intelligence, whose profile emphasizes clandestine operations and global security expertise. Despite its sophisticated presentation, the account has been found to be based in Kenya.
Users have been combing through other commentary accounts covering political and geopolitical matters from the US to Israel and Palestine, only to find that many are not operating from the regions they appear to represent.
While some argue that location shouldn’t matter as long as the information shared is accurate, the feature has sparked curiosity, amusement, and, in some cases, criticism. It’s a reminder that the digital world allows for deep expertise without physical presence, but it also highlights how identity and authority are perceived online.
For X users, the rollout of this feature has turned into a “spot the real location” game, one that’s exposing the true global spread of digital commentary. And for the rest of us, it’s an entertaining new lens on social media authenticity.
