The social-media platform X has activated a location-tracking feature that has revealed dozens of accounts claiming to be Gaza-based journalists or American influencers, but which are actually operating from countries such as India, Poland, Egypt and the U.K.
The updated “About This Account” section now displays the country of origin for each user. After the rollout, some high-profile accounts posing as victims or news-reporters in Gaza were exposed. One account presented itself as a mother in Gaza begging for donations while its recorded location was India. Another claimed to be a Palestinian news network based in Palestine but was shown to be managed from Egypt.
In response to the revelations, some accounts deleted large volumes of content and changed location settings. The Israeli Foreign Ministry praised the feature as a tool that “ripped the mask off countless fake ‘Gazan’ accounts” exploiting the conflict. X cautions, however, that the displayed location may not always be accurate—users may use VPNs to mask true whereabouts, and the platform flags suspected manipulation with warning labels.
The development adds to growing concerns about how digital platforms are used to spread misinformation around the conflict in Gaza, and highlights the challenges that both social-media companies and governments face in distinguishing genuine voices from opportunistic or malicious actors.