The social network X is expected to begin displaying in user profiles whether someone may be using a VPN to obscure their location.
Based on a post in October about transparency on the platform authored by the company’s head of product, Nikita Bier, and follow-ups from others that show how the new information would be displayed, there are concerns that people using X might be outed for using the technology.
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It’s unclear if the display of whether someone may be using a VPN is already being tested as part of an “About Your Account” feature X plans to roll out. A VPN, or virtual private network, establishes an encrypted connection between you and a remote server. Using a VPN makes it more difficult — but not impossible — for someone’s location to be determined.
Some of the other information About Your Account would display include the date an X account was created, how many times the username has changed and how the account is using X. As part of a display of country of origin, X would indicate that “Country or region may not be accurate” to people viewing the profile and a warning to the profile owner that their VPN use has been detected and may affect how that information is displayed to others.
This could be a major problem for those who use VPNs to hide their identity online for safety reasons, including stalking, government persecution in some countries or to avoid harassment or bullying.
A representative for X didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
So far, reaction from some in the VPN industry has been concern but tempered by not knowing exactly how the feature will be implemented in its final form.
On the website TechRadar, representatives from VPN companies, including Surfshark and NordVPN, expressed concern that exposing VPN users could put people who have legitimate privacy concerns at risk.
“So, 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,” NordVPN CTO Marijus Briedis told the site.
