Taylor Lorenz’s Power User The MAGA Twitter Apocalypse w/ Charlie Warzel
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Nov 26, 2025 Charlie Warzel, a technology writer at The Atlantic, dives into the chaos sparked by Twitter's new 'About This Account' feature. He reveals how many pro-MAGA accounts are actually operating from countries like India and Nigeria, raising questions about authenticity. The conversation explores the impact of inauthentic accounts on political narratives and the broader erosion of trust in media. Warzel also discusses potential futures for the web and whether this could be a turning point in the landscape of social media.
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Transparency Tool Triggered Chaos
- Elon Musk's 'About This Account' rollout revealed widespread inauthenticity and triggered chaos across X.
- The feature exposed many high‑follower MAGA accounts as originating abroad, fueling political witch hunts.
Named Fake Accounts Exposed
- Charlie Warzel highlighted specific fake MAGA fan accounts like Maga Nation X and an Ivanka fan account that were flagged abroad.
- He named small symbolic handles such as At American which the tool showed as based in Pakistan.
AI And Virality Fuel Inauthentic Web
- Warzel connects the surge in fake accounts to a broader shift toward AI‑driven, nonhuman content and virality hacks.
- He warns investors and builders are incentivizing algorithmic slop over authentic human creativity.