Instagram's latest location-sharing feature raises concerns about privacy among users
In the digital age, concerns about user privacy are ever-present, and Instagram's latest update is no exception. A recent court case in San Francisco has raised eyebrows, with a federal jury siding with women who accused Meta, Instagram's parent company, of exploiting health data from the Flo app.
However, it's important to note that the case involved Meta, not Instagram directly. The social media giant emphasizes that its location-sharing feature, introduced on August 6, 2025, is a controlled, opt-in feature where users retain full control over who can see their location.
By default, location sharing is turned off on Instagram. Users need to opt in for location sharing to be active. When enabled, they can choose specifically who sees their location, such as friends they follow back, a Close Friends list, or a custom selection of people. The feature also allows users to exclude sharing in certain places or with particular friends.
Instagram's chief, Adam Mosseri, stressed in a post on Meta-owned Threads that location sharing is off by default on Instagram. He further explained that the feature updates when users actively use the Instagram app or return to it after running in the background, giving real-time or near real-time location visibility to those selected.
To ensure privacy, users can keep the location-sharing feature off, carefully select who can see their location, limit it to trusted friends or none at all, opt out of sharing location in specific areas or with specific individuals, or disable location access for Instagram in phone settings if they prefer not to share location at all.
Reality television personality Kelley Flanagan warned her TikTok followers about the new location sharing feature, calling it "dangerous." Some users have discovered that their location was being shared without their knowledge, as shown in viral posts. However, it's worth noting that users can choose who they share their locations with and can turn off location sharing at any time.
The location updates are intended for friends to share posts from "cool spots." Instagram's location sharing feature is similar to a feature offered by Snapchat since 2017. The case described by lead attorney Carol Villegas as being about "dignity, trust, and accountability" is a reminder for all digital platforms to prioritize user privacy.
Sources:
- Instagram's New Location Sharing Feature Explained
- Instagram's Location Sharing Feature: How It Works and How to Turn It Off
- Instagram Location Sharing: Everything You Need to Know
- Instagram's New Location-Sharing Feature Raises Privacy Concerns
- Instagram's Location Sharing Feature: What You Need to Know
- Despite concerns about user privacy, Instagram emphasizes that its location-sharing feature allows users to maintain control over who sees their location, making it an opt-in, controlled feature.
- In the realm of social media and entertainment, debates about privacy continue, with recent court cases highlighting the need for platforms like Instagram to prioritize user data, as seen with the Flo app court case against Meta.
