• X’s country visibility feature aims to verify account information and prevent misinformation.

• Crypto leaders like Vitalik Buterin and Hayden Adams highlight privacy risks for high-profile users.

• Users can opt out via settings to show only region or continent, addressing some concerns, according to community guides.

X country visibility feature raises privacy alarms in crypto circles: Vitalik Buterin warns of risks. Learn expert reactions, opt-out tips, and implications for user safety. Stay informed on social media privacy trends today.

What is the X Country Visibility Feature?

X country visibility feature is a recent update by the social media platform X that automatically reveals the country of origin for user accounts to promote transparency and combat misinformation. Rolled out to ensure the platform’s integrity, it allows users to verify the geographic basis of accounts sharing information. However, this change has ignited debates, particularly among cryptocurrency enthusiasts who prioritize privacy.

Uniswap founder Hayden Adams said X’s new feature showing the country that an account is based in was a form of “mandatory doxing.”

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has said a new feature rolled out by X revealing an account holder’s country was “risky,” agreeing with crypto users who flagged privacy concerns over the feature.

X Director of Product, Nikita Bier, announced the feature was rolled out on Saturday, framing it as a way to ensure the integrity of the platform and allow users to verify information.

Buterin said on Sunday that some accounts will eventually “find ways to pretend to be from countries that they are not,” but initially thought the change could have positive effects, such as increased visibility into how people from different communities feel about various issues.

Multiple crypto users aired concerns that bad actors could use the feature to more easily track high-worth investors to attack them in person, among other concerns over privacy.

“I thought about this more and I think responders are right that revealing the country non- ‘consensually without offering any opt-out option, not even stop using your account, is wrong,” Buterin later said.

“In most cases, revealing country still leaves a very large anonymity set, but there are some people for whom even a few bits of leakage are risky, and they should not have their privacy retroactively rugpulled with no recourse.”

Source: Vitalik Buterin

How Do Privacy Concerns Arise with the X Country Visibility Feature?

The primary privacy issues stem from the mandatory nature of the disclosure, which exposes users’ locations without prior consent or an easy opt-out mechanism, potentially endangering those in vulnerable positions. For instance, in the cryptocurrency space, where anonymity is crucial for security, this could enable targeted attacks on wealthy investors or dissidents in repressive regimes. According to reports from platform observers, crypto executives emphasize that while country-level data might seem broad, it narrows the anonymity pool significantly for high-profile individuals.

Buterin’s statements reflect broader expert consensus on digital privacy, drawing from experiences in blockchain where pseudonymity is a core principle. Data from similar social media experiments shows that location-based features can increase doxxing incidents by up to 20%, as noted in privacy advocacy studies by organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Andrei David, chief technology officer at the decentralized finance platform Summer.fi, added, “The problem isn’t showing country; it’s forcing everyone into visibility without notice. A privacy-sensitive feature should always start with the least revealing setting.” This underscores the need for user-centric design in features impacting personal data.

Crypto executives cite privacy concerns too

Uniswap founder Hayden Adams was also firmly against the new feature and said “I hate it. Opt-in doxing is fine, mandatory doxing is psychotic.”

Andrei David, the chief technology officer at decentralized finance platform Summer.fi, was also concerned about the privacy implications.

What Are the Ways to Opt Out of X’s Country Visibility?

Users concerned about the feature can adjust their settings to mitigate exposure. X provides a toggle to display only the region or continent instead of the specific country, catering to those in areas with speech restrictions. Community members in the crypto space have shared step-by-step guidance to navigate these options effectively.

Bier said that there was a privacy toggle to only show an account’s region, “for those in countries where speech has penalties.”

The X user “Langerius,” a lead at Web3 community and consulting group Hunters of Web3, said there is a way for concerned users to opt out of the new feature.

“If you want to hide it: 1- turn it off: settings & privacy → privacy & safety → disable country visibility 2- or switch from country to region/continent in same menu,” they explained.

Source: Langerius

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Some less concerned about the feature

Other X users were more positive about the new feature. Some argued that revealing an account location in a country the size of the US, with a population of around 350 million, was unlikely to leave anyone easily identifiable.

More still, including crypto venture capitalist Nic Carter, said the feature was necessary to prevent accounts linked to overseas users from attempting to interfere in politics by masquerading as being from a particular country.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the X country visibility feature causing concern in the crypto community?

The feature mandates displaying users’ countries without opt-out options, raising fears of doxxing and physical threats to crypto investors who value anonymity. Experts like Vitalik Buterin note it could leak sensitive data, even if broadly, for those already targeted by bad actors.

How can users protect their privacy on X amid the new country visibility update?

To safeguard privacy, navigate to settings and privacy, then privacy and safety, and disable country visibility or switch to showing only region or continent. This adjustment, recommended by Web3 community leaders, maintains some transparency while reducing location exposure risks.

Key Takeaways

• Privacy First in Crypto: The X country visibility feature highlights ongoing tensions between platform transparency and user anonymity, critical for blockchain enthusiasts.
• Expert Backlash: Leaders like Buterin and Adams decry mandatory location sharing as a privacy violation, urging opt-in alternatives.
• Actionable Steps: Users should immediately review and adjust privacy settings to limit visibility and protect against potential threats.

Conclusion

The introduction of the X country visibility feature has amplified privacy concerns within the cryptocurrency ecosystem, with authoritative voices like Vitalik Buterin and Hayden Adams emphasizing the dangers of non-consensual data exposure. As social platforms evolve to foster trust, balancing verification needs with user rights remains essential. Crypto users are advised to monitor updates and prioritize privacy configurations to navigate these changes securely, ensuring a safer digital landscape ahead.