On the Media Tell Your Uncle He's Fighting Twitter Bots in Bangladesh
28 snips
Nov 28, 2025 
Charlie Warzel, a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the Galaxy Brain newsletter, dives into the revealing new location feature on X, previously known as Twitter. He discusses how many influential MAGA accounts are connected to foreign countries, shedding light on the dynamics of disinformation and engagement on social media. Warzel also highlights the consequences of fake accounts and their impact on real political discourse. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the importance of transparency, despite flaws in the new tool.
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X Revealed Foreign Origins Of MAGA Accounts
- Elon Musk's X feature exposed that many high-profile MAGA accounts originate outside the U.S.
- That revelation reveals how foreign-run click farms and sockpuppets fuel partisan amplification online.
Scale Hits The Side That Relies On X
- The uncovered networks disproportionately harm the right because X functions as a political megaphone for the far right.
- That asymmetric dependence makes revelations about fake accounts more damaging to MAGA narratives.
Engagement-Based Payouts Reward Outrage
- X shifted payouts from ad revenue to engagement in October 2024, rewarding replies and comments.
- That change incentivizes outrage and makes creating engagement farms financially attractive.
