Instagram Drops New Map Feature Letting Friends See Your Location—But Here’s Why You Might Want to Turn It Off

Instagram just rolled out a new feature that’s all about keeping you connected, but it also raises major questions about safety and privacy. The “Instagram Map” gives users the ability to share their real-time location with select friends. It’s designed to help people stay up-to-date on where their friends are and what they’re up to, but if you’re not careful, it can also put your safety at risk.

Here’s how it works: when you opt in, you can share your last active location with followers you follow back, your Close Friends list, or a custom group. You’ll see your friends on the map—and they’ll see you. You can even view Reels, posts, and Stories tagged with specific locations, adding a whole new way to explore content around you.

Sounds helpful, right? Until it’s not.

Instagram says location sharing is off by default. But if you choose to enable it, your location updates every time you open the app or when it’s running in the background. And while you can turn off location sharing for specific places or people, many users might not realize how often their whereabouts are being tracked—or who exactly can see it.

The feature could be a dream for stalkers or bad actors if you’re not cautious. Public figures, influencers, and young users especially need to think twice before broadcasting where they are in real time. If you’re a parent with teens using Instagram, supervision controls are available. You’ll be notified if your teen turns on location sharing and can see who they’re sharing with—but you’ll need to have parental supervision enabled.

If you want to opt out or adjust who sees your location, head into your Instagram settings under “Location Sharing” in the new Map section. You can toggle the feature off completely or choose a more limited audience.

At the end of the day, the Instagram Map can be a fun way to stay connected—but don’t let convenience compromise your safety. Know what you’re sharing, who you’re sharing it with, and how to shut it off if it feels too invasive.