Instagram Spotted Testing a Feature to Let Users See Friends’ Locations

Instagram is reportedly engaged on a function that may let customers see the final energetic location of their pals on a map. The function is alleged to be referred to as Friend Map, and it seems to be comparable to Snap Map. As per a leak, Instagram might quickly add a world map-like interface the place customers shall be ready to see others all around the map primarily based on the placement shared by them. Users may also put themselves on the map by creating posts with location information.

Mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi leaked particulars about this function on February 24 on X (previously often known as Twitter). Sharing a number of screenshots of Friend Map, he mentioned, “Instagram keeps working on “Friend map”: your friends, on a map.” If true, this shall be a new interface for the social media app, and it would even be used as a new means to uncover folks and accounts close to a consumer’s location.

Based on the photographs, it seems that Friend Map will open up the world map, the place the chums of a consumer may very well be seen (in the event that they share their location knowledge). The screenshots point out customers may even find a way to depart notes on the map. This might seem comparable to how the Notes function at the moment reveals up within the Direct Message part. If the leak is to be believed, customers might have as many as three totally different locations to make standing updates together with Stories, Notes, and Notes on Map. “Find a new excuse to share what’s happening wherever you are,” the message on the screenshot acknowledged.

Other attainable options of Friend Map embrace selecting which pals get to see the shared location, end-to-end encryption of location knowledge, and a straightforward methodology of including posts to the map simply by including location information in them. One screenshot additionally confirmed granular controls supplied by Instagram the place a consumer can management who sees the final energetic location by choosing between Ghost Mode (no one sees it), Followers you comply with again, and Close Friends. No different particulars of this function are recognized at this second.

Paluzzi additionally reshared an previous submit from October 2023 the place a new Stories icon with the textual content Nearby could be seen. The tipster acknowledged that this is also associated to the Friend Map function. While particulars stay unknown, it may very well be that any close by consumer’s posts for the Friend Map can straight be considered there.