Instagram location-sharing feature activated by default, raising privacy concerns
Instagram launched a "Friend Map" feature on 8 August 2025 allowing users to share their real-time location with friends via a map. Users reported the feature was enabled by default without their knowledge, exposing home addresses; Meta's head of Instagram clarified that location sharing is opt-in, though users did not initially realize they needed to disable it.
What happened
Instagram, owned by Meta, added a location-sharing feature called 'Friend Map' on 8 August 2025, similar to Snapchat's feature available since 2017. The feature allows users to share their real-time location with selected friends via a map.
Users reported discovering the feature was active and displaying their home addresses to all their followers without their active consent. Instagram user Lindsey Bell reported her home address appearing to all followers and stated she felt terrible upon discovering it.
Reported impact
Dozens of videos and posts warning against the new feature circulated on social media by Friday, accumulating tens or hundreds of thousands of views. The concern centered on the potential danger to users from revealing their location without adequate awareness.
Index analysis
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, stated that location sharing is completely disabled by default and will only be shared if users actively choose to enable it and select a limited group of people to share with. The feature includes controls allowing users to exclude specific locations or people and to disable sharing at any time.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.