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Instagram’s new map feature is raising security concerns among users. What to know and how to manage location sharing.
If you’ve noticed some new icons and options while doom scrolling on Instagram, you’re not imagining things. The popular social media app owned by Meta rolled out some new updates on Aug. 6, including a location map and the ability to repost public content, the company announced this week.
“People have always come to Instagram to share what they’re up to and where they are,” Meta wrote in a press release. “Now, with reposts, the map, and the ‘Friends’ tab in Reels, it’s easier for you and your friends to stay in touch through the content you’re enjoying on Instagram.”
Here’s a breakdown of the three latest updates, and how users are responding.
📍 Instagram map
This new feature gives Instagram users the option to share their location with specific friends of their choosing, but it has prompted worry among some users that it will suddenly be shared without their knowledge on the platform.
Meta says the location sharing option is off unless the user opts in, and they can turn it off anytime.
If users want to double-check their Instagram location sharing settings to turn them on or off, here’s what to do:
Tap the direct message icon in the top right (it may look like a paper airplane or a message bubble with a lightning bolt inside).
Select “Map” in the notes section at the very top with a globe image.
Tap the Settings icon in the top right corner, which will prompt a “Turn on Location Services” button.
Select “Open Settings,” which will redirect to your phone’s settings app.
Tap “Location” and choose from “Never,” “Ask Next Time or When I Share,” “While Using the App” or “Always.”
If they opt in, Meta outlined the controls users have to customize their experience:
Users specifically choose who they share their location with: all followers you follow back (friends), close friends, only selected friends or no one.
They can choose not to share their location within a specific area or with certain people.
The location is updated when the app is opened or when the user returns to the app if it has been running in the background.
Parents and guardians have control over their teens’ location-sharing capabilities if they have supervision set up. The parent will get a notification if the teen starts sharing their location.
Any content with a tagged location can show up on the Instagram map, including reels, posts and stories from people that users follow, and it’s available 24 hours after it’s been posted, according to Meta.
“Regardless of whether you choose to share your location, you can use the map to explore location-based content. From checking out stories from friends who’ve gone to a concert or finding a new place to hang out from a local creator’s reel, there’s content to help you and your friends connect with the world around you,” Meta says.
This feature is currently only available in the U.S., but global availability is coming soon.
Instagram Map. (Meta)
🔁 Repost public posts and video reels
Meta announced that Instagram users now have the ability to repost public feed posts and video reels, which is similar to reposting on the social media platform X.
The reposts will show up on friends’ and followers’ feeds, with a credit to the original creator. A separate reposting tab has also been added to IG users’ profiles so that the content can be shared with someone else’s followers.
“This gives creators an opportunity to reach even more people,” Meta said.
Instagram’s Repost feature. (Meta)
👫 ‘Friends’ tab in Reels launches globally
Instagram Reels users will also notice a new tab called “Friends,” located right at the top of Reels. Users can see public Reels content that their friends have interacted with. They can also mute activity from specific people they follow or hide their own likes and comments on reels.
The feature started rolling out earlier this year, but it has now launched globally, Meta announced Wednesday.
Instagram Reels with a Friends tab. (Meta)
📣 How users are responding to the features
Instagram users have had some strong reactions to the updates, particularly over the Map feature. People are voicing safety concerns in the comments section under the latest post on the official Instagram account, which is not related to the app’s updates.
“Please get rid of the map feature. It’s such a bad idea, it’s a safety concern,” one user wrote.
“This is the second time you all have added this map feature. Please remove it. Why are you all obsessed with people’s locations?” one user commented while referring to Instagram’s Photo Map feature, which displayed photos on a map based on their geotags and was discontinued in 2016.
“Please remove the location map. It’s so extremely dangerous, especially for youth on this app!!!,” another user commented.
Meanwhile, others called for the removal of the Friends tab under Reels.
“INSTAGRAM PLS GET RID OF THE FRIENDS BIT NEXT TO THE REELS PLSSSS,” another user commented.