Instagram Map Updates: Easier Location Sharing

Instagram Updates Map Feature for Location Sharing Clarity

Instagram announced on Monday updates to its Map feature, aiming to provide users with greater clarity regarding their location sharing settings.

The social media platform is also extending a Snap Map-like functionality to users in India.

Initial Rollout and User Concerns

The initial launch of the feature in August, to users in the United States and Canada, sparked confusion.

Many users expressed concern, incorrectly believing location sharing was automatically enabled.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, previously assured users that location visibility is solely dependent on their individual sharing preferences.

Enhanced Indicators for Location Status

Now, two months later, Instagram is implementing a more noticeable indicator at the top of the Map.

This indicator will clearly show users whether they are actively sharing their location or have device location services disabled.

A new indicator will also appear under user profile photos within the Notes tray on the Direct Messages (DMs) page, further clarifying their location sharing status.

Addressing Misconceptions About Location Tags

Initially, some users mistakenly believed that tagging a location in their posts automatically shared their real-time location on the Map.

This misunderstanding arose because profile pictures appeared over content with location tags.

To eliminate this confusion, Instagram has removed profile photos from Map content, emphasizing that their presence does not signify someone’s current location.

Educational Reminders and Previews

Instagram will now display educational reminders to users when they add a location tag to a Story, Reel, or post.

These reminders will explain that tagged locations will be visible on the Map.

Furthermore, Instagram will provide a preview showing users how their content will appear on the Map when a location is added.

Feature Inspiration and Purpose

Instagram’s new Map feature draws inspiration from Snapchat’s popular Snap Map, following the adoption of Snapchat’s Stories format in 2016.

The feature is designed to facilitate coordination and meetups among friends.

It also allows users to discover location-based content shared by friends and creators they follow.

Map Exploration Regardless of Sharing

Instagram states that users can still explore location-based content on the map even if they choose not to share their own location.

This allows for discovery and engagement with content from various locations.