PSA: You Could Be Visible on Instagram’s New Friend Map Without Realizing It

Instagram’s rollout of its new location-based map feature Friend Map has quickly sparked privacy concerns from users and experts alike as users discover their exact locations are being displayed without their express consent.

Update 8/7: A Meta spokesperson has provided the following statement: “Instagram Map is off by default, and your live location is never shared unless you choose to turn it on. If you do, only people you follow back — or a private, custom list you select — can see your location.”

The new feature was marketed as an opt-in experience that would only function when users enabled it and allowed access to device-level location services; however, users are expressing concerns that these location features are not functioning as desired.

Many users are reporting that their locations are displayed on the map even without opting in for the new Friend Map. Some say their precise address or frequently visited places appeared, prompting confusion and alarm.

In PetaPixel‘s testing, the map allows users to zoom in to exact buildings and street address level detail, with PetaPixel confirming that multiple accounts followed, who are not set to any special friendship status, can be seen on the map even without opting-in to the new location features. We messaged a selection of them who stated that they did not opt in or choose to enable the Friend Map feature, nor were they aware until they were privately messaged that their location was being displayed publicly.

Users Flood Social Media with PSA Videos

In response to the update, Instagram users have flooded social media with public service announcement-style videos. In these videos, creators demonstrate how their locations were revealed without their knowledge or consent. Many show users discovering in real time that their address was visible on the map to their followers or mutuals.

The growing volume of these posts has brought widespread attention to the issue, creating pressure for Instagram to clarify how the feature works and what data it uses.

Mosseri Responds But Questions Remain

In response to the concerns, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri posted a clarification to his Instagram profile. In the post, he reiterated the platform’s position that the feature is opt-in only and controlled by the user:

“Quick Friend Map clarification: your location will only be shared if you decide to share it, and if you do, it can only be shared with a limited group of people you choose. To start, location sharing is completely off.

“If you do decide to opt into sharing it, the three options are (1) a custom list you make, (2) your Close Friends list, or (3) followers you follow back.

“If you tag a location in your story, that story will show up on the map for 24 hours. As always with Stories, this only shows the place you tagged to your followers — it does not share your real-time or live location.

“Personally, I use the map to share what I’m up to with a handful of my closest friends, and I curate that list carefully.”

Despite Mosseri’s statement, multiple firsthand accounts from users indicate that location information may appear even when users have not opted in or enabled the new feature. Even on Mosseri’s clarification post, the comment section is full of frustrated and concerned users stating that despite not opting in, disabling the feature, and turning off location services for the Instagram app, followers are still able to see their location.

However, Meta maintains that users are conflating real-time location — which must be opted into — and location at the time a post was shared. Depending on when someone checks the Friend Map relative to a post being published, however, there may be little difference these two locations.

Location Sharing Without Permission?

A deeper look into Instagram’s settings reveals a potential explanation. Hidden within the new Friend Map’s privacy menus is a line stating that the feature may use a user’s IP address to estimate their general location if device-level location settings are turned off.

The message reads:

“If your device’s location settings are turned off, we may use other information such as your IP address to determine and display your general location.”

Although IP-based geolocation is generally less accurate than GPS, it can still locate users within a neighborhood or even street block, depending on the situation.

A Familiar Privacy Pattern in Tech

Privacy experts say the situation reflects a broader trend across major platforms. While companies may technically disclose how they collect and use location data, critics argue the information is often buried in layers of settings, making informed consent difficult for the average user.

They also note that many users assume turning off location access in their phone settings means the app cannot gather any geographic data. Instagram’s use of IP addresses challenges that assumption.

The Path Forward

This controversy adds to ongoing calls for clearer, more user-friendly privacy controls across social platforms. As users become more aware of how their data is collected and used, expectations for transparency and accountability are only growing.

In view of the new Friends Map and issues some Instagram users are having, Instagram users should confirm that their system-level location and privacy settings and in-app privacy settings are precisely how they want them. It is possible to not appear on the Friend Map if location data is completely disabled across the board. The issue is that some users are appearing on the map despite not opting in, which is concerning.

Meta tells PetaPixel that, without opting-in to the new location sharing features, they will appear on the Friend Map based on the selected tagged location in a Story or Reel, which will only be displayed to followers. However, these settings can also be fine-tuned.

Live location is not on by default, but, given existing location settings before the Friend Map feature rolled out this week, users may still appear on that map at the time that they shared a post without realizing it.

Image credits: Instagram