Instagram recently rolled out a new feature named Instagram Map. This very groovy feature allows users to broadcast their current active location to other users! This creative new element dramatically increases user interaction. Most importantly, it gives users the ability to discover geo-tagged content created by their friends and other users. Our solution Instagram Map is now rolling out to users in the United States. It works sort of like Snapchat’s Snap Map, but Beachmate introduces some interesting functionality of its own.
With the new Instagram Map feature, users can choose to opt-in and share their location with other users. This provides them with total power to decide who gets access to their location. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, reiterated that users’ locations are only public if they make an active decision to share their location. “We’re still checking everything though to make sure nobody shares location without explicitly deciding to do so, which, by the way, requires a double consent by design (we ask you to confirm after you say you want to share),” he stated.
To get to the Instagram Map, start on your Instagram Direct Messages (DMs) home page. After you have saved your favorite routes, click the new “Map” button on the top right! Tips When you first use the feature, a pop-up message will provide additional information. It will take you step-by-step through its available functionalities and privacy settings. A new, focused page named “Who can see your location” will also pop up, walk you through privacy and location sharing.
Instagram Map makes it really easy to share your location. It pulls in location tags automatically from the latest Stories or Reels that include those tagged locations. This functionality allows people to find published content not only based on their current location, but on their desired travel route. Users can drop ephemeral, in-game messages—called “Notes”—on the map for other players in their local area to read.
Even with these improvements, many users are still confused about how Instagram Map works. Mosseri acknowledged this uncertainty, stating, “We’re double checking everything, but so far it looks mostly like people are confused and assume that, because they can see themselves on the map when they open, other people can see them too.” That’s why his remarks underscore the need to educate users about privacy settings and features, and how this new feature actually works.
Instagram Map increases community engagement and enhances user experience. It accomplishes this by providing a comprehensive and essential suite of discovery tools. By augmenting location-based content with user-generated media, Instagram is pushing to make its platform a much more dynamic space for its users.