Instagram testing 'Friend Map' feature to share live location details with loved ones

Friend Map feature is end-to-end encrypted, as only the people chosen by the user can view the latter's real-time location.

As per the latest data, 85 per cent of the Instagram audience are younger than 45 years. With the emergence of Snapchat and TikTok, it has become tough for Instagram to keep people hooked to the app.

It has barely managed to keep the youths entertained with Reels. Now, Instagram has plans to bring a new feature 'Friend Map' and has already begun testing internally among engineers, the company spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch.

Instagram's Friend Map is similar to Snapchat's 'Snap Map'. This feature will allow users to share their real-time location with their friends.

Also, the feature is end-to-end encrypted, as only the people chosen by the user can view the latter's real-time location.

Add to that, the feature allows users to leave a note or message on the map. For instance, the user can ask people to meet or reveal what they are doing at that particular location.

The new Friend Map feature also offers a privacy mode option- Ghost Mode. It will hide the last user's last active location details.

The new feature looks promising and makes people spend even more time on Instagram. Instead of wasting time watching hundreds of reels a day, this 'Friend Map' will at least influence users to go out a bit and socialise with real people.

There is no official word on when the new 'Friend Map' will be officially rolled out on Instagram.

In a related development, Instagram's sister app WhatsApp has introduced a new feature to instantly block and report spam on the lock screen.

Here's how to block unknown spam numbers from the lock screen of the phone:

Step 1: Just long press the message on the lock screen and the user gets a new option block besides the reply option.

Step 2: The user can just click on the block button and if required, he/she can also further report it to WhatsApp by following the on-screen instructions.

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