Instagram is once again borrowing from the competition, this time taking a page straight out of Snapchat’s playbook. The platform has introduced a brand-new “Instagram Map” feature designed to make location sharing more interactive… and a little more social. But it’s not without controversy.
How the Instagram Map Works
The new feature allows users to share their last active location, not live tracking, when they open the app, but only with friends they choose. To find it, head to your Direct Messages tab and tap the new Map icon. From there, you’ll see an interactive map displaying your friends’ shared locations and any location-tagged Stories or Reels posted in the last 24 hours.
Location sharing is completely opt-in. Instagram has built in a double-confirmation process to ensure you know exactly what you’re agreeing to. Once enabled, you can decide who sees your location: mutual followers, “Close Friends,” specific people, or no one at all. You can even exclude certain individuals or block specific places from showing up.
For younger users with supervised accounts, the feature includes parental notifications and control. And in an effort to calm privacy fears, Instagram says it will only keep shared location data for up to three days and won’t use it for advertising.
Privacy Concerns and User Backlash
Despite Instagram’s reassurances, the rollout has sparked confusion and backlash. Many users believed the feature was live-tracking them or was turned on by default. This was likely because location-tagged posts also appear on the map. Instagram head Adam Mosseri has since clarified that nothing is shared without explicit consent, but the misunderstanding has already made waves.
Critics argue that, even with opt-in settings, the feature could be unsafe for vulnerable users. Social media has already seen campaigns urging people to disable the map entirely, citing risks of stalking and harassment. Others simply don’t like the idea of giving Instagram more personal data, even temporarily.
For now, the Instagram Map walks a fine line between fun social discovery and potential privacy risk. If you choose to try it, make sure your settings are locked down. Remember, not every follower needs to know where you’ve been.
