• Source:JND
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Instagram’s new Map feature now available in India, lets you share your last active location with friends and discover posts tagged to certain places. Global rollout The feature was first introduced globally in August, and offers better privacy controls, allowing users to determine who should be able to see their location.

How Instagram Map Works

Content tips/ Socials The Map function also allows users to explore local content and keep in touch through location-based sharing, almost like Snapchat’s Snap Map. Users can select specific friends or groups with whom they want to share their location, block sharing in certain areas or turn it off all together. In supervised teen accounts, the parent is alerted when location sharing has been turned on and can manage permissions.

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Location Indicator and Privacy Enhancements

Instagram has added several visual indicators for clarity:

- A persistent indicator at the top of the Map shows whether location sharing is on or off.

- Another indicator beneath the profile photo in the Notes tray signals when location is not being shared.

- Profile photos no longer appear over tagged content, preventing assumptions about live location.

Exploring Location-Based Content

Users can also discover Reels, Stories, Notes and friends’ or creators’ posts tagged with locations. Content is available for 24 hours and can be found through a DM inbox icon. A teaching prompt now tells users that if they tag a location, the content it submitted to the Map, and there’s also a preview of what their content will look like on that tagged page before posting.

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Availability

Instagram Map feature syncs to your iOS and Android devices. Because it is a phased rollout, it may not populate for every account right away. To disable it entirely, users can turn off location permissions for the Instagram app through their device.

Conclusion

India now joins in as one of the few markets to have received Instagram Map, with users offering location-based content and exploration without losing out on their privacy. Combined with improved visibility options and clear indicators, location sharing will be a safer, more transparent experience for everyone.