Instagram is currently working on a feature that allows users to track their friends’ live locations, similar to Snap Map—a competitor to Snapchat. This feature, known as “Friends Map,” was first discovered by Alessandro Paluzzi, a well-known internet engineer who often uncovers social media features during their development phase.
According to screenshots shared by Paluzzi, the “Friends Map” will be accessible to users, allowing them to choose whether they want to share their location and with whom. The available options include friends you follow or those in your “Close Friends” list, and the location data will be encrypted end-to-end.
Additionally, Instagram users will be able to leave Notes-like messages on the map for their friends to see. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, confirmed to American technology magazine TechCrunch that this feature is currently an internal prototype and has not yet been externally tested.
The “Snap Map” feature from Snapchat, launched in 2017, has gained popularity over the years. It allows users to choose between “Ghost Mode” (not sharing their location), “My Friends,” or “Select Friends.”
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