Instagram’s latest update is raising eyebrows. The platform introduced a new feature that shares your last active location, and while the app is responding to let users know the feature isn’t on by default, many users claim they didn’t realize it was on.
The tool is similar to Snapchat’s Snap Map, allowing users to share their location with friends and view others’ locations. On Instagram, if the feature is turned on, your location updates any time the app is opened.
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Privacy fears spread quickly
Shortly after the rollout on Wednesday, users took to social media to express concern. Some began sharing how-to videos explaining how to disable the location-sharing feature.
In response to the growing backlash, Instagram posted a story on Thursday clarifying the feature’s settings. The company said the feature is off by default and no one can see your location unless you actively choose to share it.
If you turn it on, only people you follow back or a custom list you create can view your location. The setting can also be turned off at any time.
Senators urge action
According to NBC, Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-TN. and Richard Blumenthal, D-CT. sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg Friday urging Meta to “immediately abandon” the feature.
“While Meta has argued that the feature is inactive unless users opt in to sharing their location, some consumers have reported that their location was automatically shared without their consent,” the senators wrote. “This addition is a cause of particular concern for us when it comes to children and teens that are active on Instagram.”
Blackburn and Blumenthal have teamed up on several tech safety efforts in recent years, including the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act aimed at holding platforms accountable for protecting minors.
Users report glitches and confusion
Despite Instagram’s clarification, users continued to raise concerns. One Threads user claimed multiple people were able to see their location pin and said it took several tries to fully turn the feature off.
Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, responded directly to the user.
“We’re double checking everything,” he wrote. “But so far it looks mostly like people are confused and assume that, because they can see themselves on the map when they open [the app], other people can see them too.”
He added that sharing location requires “double consent by design,” emphasizing that no one can share their location without opting in.
Even with the company’s reassurance, some users remain skeptical. They’re encouraging others to go a step further by checking their phone settings to make sure precise location is turned off entirely.
Along with showing your active location, the feature also lets users see where friends or creators posted from if they geotagged their content.
The rise of location sharing
Sharing your location with friends and loved ones is on the rise. Tracking app Life360 reports that a 2024 survey revealed 89% of respondents said their lives benefited from location sharing. That number increased to 94% for Gen Z.
The reason? Eighty-seven percent of Gen Z respondents said they use the technology for things like long-distance driving and 72% said they believe location-sharing is good for their safety and physical well-being.
Aside from friendships and family, location sharing is becoming increasingly more popular among couples. Even a New York Times article calls location-sharing “the final frontier in digital expressions of coupledom.”
A separate Life360 survey found that 60% of recent location-sharers say sharing their whereabouts made their relationship feel more official.
The broader concern: data and safety
The rise in location-sharing features reflects how friends and family increasingly stay connected. However, critics warn that tools like this may also benefit advertisers and pose risks in abusive situations.
Location-sharing can reveal your habits to third parties, and in the wrong hands, it can be dangerous. That’s why digital safety advocates are urging users to double-check what they’re sharing, both in-app and in their device settings.
