Accuracy errors or inadvertent unmasking of rage-bait trolls? Probably somewhere in between

Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) has inadvertently taught a large number of web users an important lesson. Not everyone online is necessarily who you think they are, and you shouldn't believe everything you read.

In October, head of product Nikita Bier told users that work was underway to show additional information on profiles, including the country where an account is based. The thinking was that this would be a boon for verifying the authenticity of accounts and the posts they make.

On November 22, Bier got ready to deploy the feature and chaos ensued as users realized that several popular accounts might not be all they seemed.

Take @MAGANationX, for example. Despite calling itself the "Patriot Voice for We The People" and being festooned with the flag of the United States, the account is based in Eastern Europe, according to X. The social media platform said: "The country ...