Instagram Unveils Live Test of "Friend Map" Location Sharing

After being in development for a while, Instagram has now initiated a live test of its new “Friend Map” feature, which displays the location of your friends on a dedicated map within the app.

Instagram Friend Map Overview

As detailed in the overview, the “Friend Map” feature on Instagram allows your friends to see both your current location and where you’ve previously been. Any posts or Stories tagged with a location will be added to the map.

Additionally, you can add Notes to any location, providing feedback and insights for your friends based on your experiences.

This feature aims to enhance engagement and interaction on the platform, although Instagram is proceeding cautiously due to potential privacy concerns.

Currently, Instagram says that the Friend Map is being tested with a small group of users. It will only be available for sharing with those on your “Close Friends” list or mutual follows in the app. Public location sharing and content tagging will not be supported.

This is similar to Snapchat’s Snap Map, and in theory, it could alleviate some privacy concerns. However, there’s still a risk if someone mistakenly adds a friend who could misuse access to their location.

While there are inherent risks, for users who are careful with their connections, this feature could help organize in-person meet-ups and foster more social interactions on Instagram, which has seen an increase in the popularity of direct messages.

The primary target audience for this feature is younger users, a demographic Instagram is eager to retain amid growing competition from TikTok and Snapchat. Younger users are increasingly engaging via direct messages rather than posting on the main feed, Stories, or Reels, which is more entertainment-focused than socially driven. Instagram has been trying to leverage this trend with features like Notes, which have been very popular with this demographic.

This more intimate engagement could open the door for add-ons like Friend Map, fostering even more connection within the app. Considering that Snap recently announced 850 million active users, Instagram might find success with this feature as well, by tapping into these evolving usage patterns.

Instagram has been working on the “Friend Map” feature for some time, with initial elements spotted in testing last November. More advanced screenshots surfaced in February, when Instagram officially confirmed it was developing the display.

Now, the feature is live for some users.

Will it catch on? The logic behind it is clear, especially considering the social habits of teens, who are more active than most adult users. However, the risks involved might be significant enough to give Meta pause.

For now, it remains a test, and Instagram will be closely monitoring its initial usage.