There is a video going viral on Social Media claiming that Instagram shares your location with your followers. This video came alive after the latest iOS 15.6.1 update. The apps settings in the latest iOS came with an option to toggle ‘On’ or ‘Off’ a feature dubbed ‘Precise Location’ in the app settings.
After updating your iPhone to the latest Operating System, you will realize that this particular feature has been automatically turned on in the Instagram App’s location settings.
Instagram Shares Your Location On Android Too
As a matter of fact, this permission settings has been on most Android devices for years now. It is just that a lot of Android users haven’t realized it. Some may have realized it but it may be that they just don’t care. Or they just don’t find it needful to expose it on Social Media like the iOS user just did recently.
On this matter, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri and the whole Instagram Social Media team have come out to dismiss the claims that they share your precise location with your followers. In response, the CEO of Instagram tweeted:
Wanted to share this for clarity. Location Services is a device setting on your phone, not a new feature from Instagram, and it powers things like location tags. We don’t share your location with other people.
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Instagram Comms, the official Twitter handle for Instagram Social Media team also tweeted the following :
To be clear, we don’t share your location with others. Similar to other social media companies, we use precise location for things like location tags and maps features.
Explaining the main use of the location tag, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said that Instagram device locations only uses device precise location feature for location tags when posting. Instagram does not share users’ location or any other personal information with other users or your followers.
In as much as many people immediately turned off the precise location in the settings after siting the viral video, others didn’t mind. During our research on this matter, we came across videos of people expressing the views on Apps tracking their locations.
Should You Allow Instagram To Share Your Location?
Some people said they have turned off the precise location setting. It is because they don’t feel comfortable knowing that their locations are being tracked. Others also said they feel protected leaving it on. Explaining that in case of any unfortunate incident, their families and loved ones can easily locate them.
So it is up to you decide whether you have to turn off the Instagram precise location feature or just leave it on. Follow these steps to turn it off if you want to. Just go to Settings on your phone, Privacy and then go to Location Settings. From there, you can turn it on or off for any app you want.
