When Instagram introduced its new Friend Map feature, it was pitched as a fun way to see where friends are and find shared hangouts.
But for Instagram users, especially those who value privacy, the risks can outweigh the novelty. Location sharing isn’t just about convenience — it’s about who you trust with your movements, your habits, and your personal safety, Amit Weigman, Office of the CTO at Check Point, said in a blog post.
Yes, Meta says Friend Map is opt-in. But turning it on can reveal far more than you intend — both to people you know and to people you don’t. It can make it easier for someone to figure out your daily routine, where you live, where you work, and even when you’re not home. On Instagram, where social pressure often pushes users to share more than they plan, even cautious people could end up oversharing without realizing it.
How Your Location is Captured
If you enable Friend Map, Instagram records two kinds of location information:
App-triggered logs – Your location is saved whenever you open or re-enter the app.
Tagged content – Posts, Stories, and Reels with a location tag are linked to your account.
Over time, these entries can create a detailed history of where you’ve been, stored on Meta’s servers. That data isn’t end-to-end encrypted, meaning Meta’s systems—and potentially others if there’s a breach — can access it. Since Instagram is part of Meta’s ad network, your location data can also be combined with other personal details for highly targeted ads, which means it can also be abused for scams or stalking.
Why This Matters for You
Location sharing risks fall into two main categories — physical safety and digital exploitation — and they can overlap:
Physical risks: Stalking, harassment, and burglary when people see you’re away from home.
Digital risks: Location data merged with browsing and purchase history can be used for precision scams or manipulative ads tailored to your habits, beliefs, or routines.
How This Differs from Other Apps
Unlike Apple’s Find My, which is encrypted and built purely for safety and device recovery, Instagram Friend Map is part of an ad-driven platform, giving Meta a reason to keep and analyze your data. Snapchat’s Snap Map has had its own privacy issues, but Instagram’s version is directly tied to Meta’s larger data ecosystem, which has already suffered major breaches in the past year.
What You Should Do
If you’re an Instagram user who wants control over your privacy:
Turn it off: Messages → Map → Settings → Location Sharing → “No one.”
Limit app permissions: Set Instagram’s location access to “While Using the App” or off entirely in your phone’s settings.
Clean up followers: Remove anyone you don’t know or trust.
Be selective: If you must share your location, do it for a specific purpose and disable it right after.
Parents: Use Instagram’s Family Center to control minors’ location settings.
For Instagram users, the key is understanding that Friend Map is not just a cute way to meet up with friends — it’s a live feed of your movements that could be used against you. Once your location is out there, you can’t take it back.
TelecomLead.com News Desk