By Michael Specter
Instagram Adds Live Location Sharing for Better Coordination
Instagram is rolling out a new live location-sharing feature in Direct Messages (DMs), which allows users to share their real-time location with others for up to one hour. This feature is particularly useful for coordinating meetups, such as at concerts or crowded events like cricket matches, helping users find each other easily in busy spaces. Additionally, the feature also enables users to pin a specific location on the map, offering more control over where to meet.
Live Location Sharing: Privacy and Control
The live location feature is turned off by default and can only be shared privately within a DM. The shared location is visible only to the two participants in the chat, ensuring privacy. Instagram has implemented safeguards so that the location cannot be forwarded to others, maintaining a level of confidentiality for users. To provide additional transparency, Instagram will display an indicator at the top of the chat to signal when live location sharing is in progress. Users can also stop sharing their location at any time they choose.
Availability of Location Sharing Feature
Currently, Instagram’s live location sharing feature is being rolled out in select countries, with plans to expand it in the future. This feature aims to enhance user experience, especially when users need to stay connected with friends or family in real-time.
New Nickname Options in DMs
In addition to the live location feature, Instagram has introduced the ability to assign custom nicknames to users within DMs. This allows both parties in a conversation to personalize how they refer to each other, but the nickname will only appear in that specific chat and won’t change the user’s username across Instagram. By default, all followers can change a nickname, but the feature provides options to limit who can modify the nickname within the chat for more control.
Improved DM Interactions with New Stickers
Instagram is also adding 17 new sticker packs to enhance interactions in DMs, giving users more options for expressing themselves. Additionally, users can now favorite stickers from a conversation, making it easy to use them in future chats, thus streamlining the messaging experience.
