The social media platform X is planning to roll out a new feature that will provide more transparency about a user’s account location by indicating whether someone is using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Concerns have arisen that X users who employ a VPN could be exposed, a possibility that was highlighted in an October post about platform transparency by the company’s head of product, Nikita Bier.
On the contrary, the revelation of whether new account details would be displayed has intensified the situation.
The disclosure of VPN usage originates from an upcoming “About Your Account” feature X plans to introduce.
It is quite unsure whether displaying the use of a VPN is currently being tested as part of this feature.
A VPN secure connection is being tested as part of this feature. It creates an encrypted link between the user and a remote server, making it difficult but not entirely impossible to determine a person’s actual location.
As part of the place of origin, X would point out to people visiting that “Country or region may not be accurate”, and it would warn the profile owner that their VPN has been caught and may affect how that information is displayed to others.
Following the new rule, this will become a serious issue for users who rely on VPNs to safeguard their online identity, including people seeking protection from stalking in certain countries.
In this connection, representatives from VPN companies Surfshark and NordVPN expressed concern about revealing VPN users could put people with valid privacy issues at risk.
The recent developments are to increase the visibility of a user's actual posting origin and secure the platform for the users in high-risk environments while using it without being labeled.
In addition, NordVPN CTO Marijus Briedis said, “Putting a visible flag on them can make it easier to single out journalists, activists or users in high-risk countries as ‘suspicious’ just because they care about privacy.”
