Instagram rolls out map feature, sparking privacy concerns
Is Instagram the new Snapchat? It seems that way, as a map feature similar to Snap Map was just launched — eliciting mixed reactions from users.
instagram showing y’all location oh that’s not pic.twitter.com/Qx9n5dn7zs
— kaydenciaga⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ (@i30clip) August 6, 2025
On Wednesday, Meta rolled out several new features on the social media platform including the map, which shows where U.S. users are active while they’re using the app, USA Today reported.
Many people have expressed worry online about their location possibly being shared on the platform without their knowledge or consent.
Meta said the feature is automatically off unless users decide to opt in, and Instagram users can turn off location sharing “at any time,” Meta said.
However, some users have reported their location being shared without them opting into the feature, according to USA Today and People.
“Instagram Map is off by default, and your live location is never shared unless you choose to turn it on,” a Meta spokesperson told People. “If you do, only people you follow back — or a private, custom list you select — can see your location.”
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, attempted to dispel these rumors about automatic location sharing in a post on Threads Thursday.
“Quick Friend Map clarification — your location will only be shared *if* you decide to share it, and if you do, it can only shared with a limited group of people you choose. To start, location sharing is *completely off*,” he wrote.
For those who opt in to the location sharing, Instagram will show users’ last active location on the map. The location will be updated whenever users open the app or return to the app if it’s been running in the background, according to Meta.
People can decide to share their location on the map to followers, close friends or just some selected friends, according to USA Today. Instagram users can also choose not to share location in specific places or with specific people, the outlet said.
When looking at the map, Instagram users can also see who is sharing their location with them.
For any parents worried about their child sharing their location, if they have supervision settings for their child they will also have control over their location sharing on the map, according to Meta. Parents will receive a notification if their child starts sharing their location.
Here’s how to make sure your location settings are how you want them, according to USA Today:
1. Tap the messages icon at the top right of home feed.
2. Tap “Map” at the top of inbox.
3. Tap the settings icon in the top right. To turn off location sharing, choose “no one.” To opt in to location sharing, select “friends,” “close friends” or choose select people.
4. Tap “Done” at the bottom to save changes.
The other Instagram changes that were rolled out include:
- Users can now repost others’ public feed posts and video Reels to their own followers.
- Reposts are visible user feeds as well as a separate reposting tab on the user’s profile, according to Meta.
- A new “Friends” tab on Instagram Reels allows users to see “public content your friends have interacted with, or recommendations from Blends you’ve started, and easily start conversations about them,” according to Meta.
Megan Swift is a TribLive reporter covering trending news in Western Pennsylvania. A Murrysville native, she joined the Trib full time in 2023 after serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian at Penn State. She previously worked as a Jim Borden Scholarship intern at the Trib for three summers. She can be reached at mswift@triblive.com.
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