Latest news with #Blends
Fox News
12-08-2025
- Fox News
Instagram Friend Map feature sparks privacy questions
Instagram has introduced three new features to help you share more easily with friends: Friend Map, Repost, and a Friends tab in Reels. While all three are designed to boost connection, one in particular, the Friend Map, has sparked some privacy misconceptions. While the Friend Map has been welcomed by some, it's also fueling misconceptions online. Social media posts have spread confusion about whether it shares your live location by default, prompting questions about how much control you really have. Here's what these new tools actually do, how they work, and what you need to know before using them. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my The new Repost feature lets you share public reels and feed posts directly with your followers. Your reposts appear both in their feeds and in a dedicated tab on your profile, making it easy to revisit your favorites. Creators benefit, too. When someone reposts your content, it can reach that person's followers, even if they don't follow you, opening the door to new audiences. To repost, tap the repost icon, add an optional note, and save. The post will credit the original creator so everyone knows where it came from. Friend Map allows you to opt in to sharing your last active location with a select group of friends. You can choose from options like friends you follow back, Close Friends, or a custom list. You can also turn location sharing off at any time. Privacy matters here. A Meta spokesperson told us: "Instagram Map is off by default, and your live location is never shared unless you choose to turn it on. If you do, only people you follow back—or a private, custom list you select—can see your location." Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri also clarified that tagging a location in your story only shares that place with your followers for 24 hours, it does not reveal your real-time location. If you're a parent with supervision tools enabled, you'll be notified if your teen turns on location sharing. You can also disable the feature for them. Location updates occur when you open the app or return to it from the background. Beyond location sharing, the map also lets you explore stories, reels, and notes tagged with a location from friends and creators you follow. The Friends tab in Reels shows you the public content your friends have liked, commented on, reposted, or created. You can also see recommendations from Blends you've joined. You'll have controls to hide your own likes or comments and mute activity from certain people. This makes it easy to keep your feed focused on what you enjoy. If you love staying connected on Instagram, these tools give you more ways to share and discover content with people you care about. But the Friend Map feature demands extra attention. If you decide to turn it on, take time to customize your sharing settings. Think about who really needs to see your location and review your choices regularly. For parents, this is a good opportunity to talk with teens about online privacy. Instagram's latest features are a mix of fun and function. Reposts make it easier to share what inspires you, Friends tab helps spark conversations, and Friend Map opens the door to spontaneous meetups, but only if you manage privacy wisely. The good news: you're in control of what you share and with whom. So, would you trade a little privacy for more connection with friends on Instagram? Let us know by writing to us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Daily Mirror
08-08-2025
- Daily Mirror
New Instagram feature sparks privacy concerns but turning it off is simple
A new update from Instagram has left users in fear of their safety, however this update is similar to another social media platform - but why has this drew so much attention? Instagram have revealed a brand new feature, a real-time location map that lets people you follow see where you are when you're online, and it's already sparked backlash online. Although Meta says the feature is opt-in only, some users claim they've seen it appear without fully understanding how it works, or who can see them on it. The setting lives inside your Story, and only appears when you open the app - but that hasn't stopped people from calling it a privacy risk and expressing their fears. According to Meta, the new Instagram Map allows users to opt in to sharing their last active locations with friends of their choosing. The function can be turned off at any time. It comes after a warning everyone using Android must restart their phones now as 'critical' warning issued. 'From checking out stories from friends who've gone to a concert or finding a new place to hang out from a local creator's reel, there's content to help you and your friends connect with the world around you,' Meta said with the announcement. The latest update comes as part of a wider batch of new features including reposts and a new Friends tab on Reels - echoing what other platforms like TikTok and Snapchat have already been doing. But while some of the changes have gone under the radar, it's the map that's stirred the most reaction. Another update includes the "Friends" tab in Reels, which the company said will allow users to see "public content your friends have interacted with, or recommendations from Blends you've started, and easily start conversations about them." For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. The new feature, which Meta said began rolling out "earlier this year" before launching globally, can be found at the top of the Reels tab. "We're also rolling out controls for what's shown in the Friends tab, including the ability to hide your own likes and comments on reels, and to mute activity bubbles from specific people you follow," the company said. But users aren't phased by the the other updates, it's the map update that has posed a problem for most, with many taking to social media to air their concerns. One user on X said: 'Instagram lost they f**king mind adding that maps feature. What is with the obsession of having our location shared to the public? No thank you!' How to turn off Instagram Map If you want to stop Instagram from sharing your location through the new map feature, here's how to turn it off: Open Instagram Go to Settings and Activity Tap Story, Live and Location Select Location Sharing (Instagram Map) Set it to 'No one' You can also customise it to only share with Close Friends or a specific list, but turning it off completely means your location won't appear on the map at all. Another user created a step-by-step guide to help people turn it off, calling the feature 'freaky' and 'invasive,' especially for women and young people who are already navigating enough online safety concerns. A Meta spokesperson told The Mirror that the feature has only rolled out in the US so far and confirmed that the map feature won't be active unless you want it to be. They said in a statement: 'Instagram Map is off by default, and your live location is never shared unless you choose to turn it on. If you do, only people you follow back—or a private, custom list you select—can see your location.' Meta also confirmed the location sticker isn't real time location, but if you tag a location in your story, post or reel the content will appear on the map for 24 hours and with their supervision features, parents get notified when a teen starts to share their location and can turn it off at any time.
07-08-2025
Instagram rolls out new features including map, reposts and Friends Reels tab
Instagram has rolled out a new slate of new features it says will help users better connect with friends, from reposts to updating locations and more. Below, find out what you should know about the new Instagram features, how to use them, and what to do if you're concerned about privacy. What are the new Instagram features? Meta, Instagram's parent company, announced several new updates to the popular photo and video sharing app on Thursday including reposts, a new "Friends" tab and maps to connect further with friends through content. Repost Reels and posts Users can now repost Reels from public profiles and in-feed posts to share with their own followers. The reposted content, which is credited to the original poster, will go to friends' and followers' feeds and appear in a separate profile tab to make it easier to look back at the content you've reposted. New Instagram map to share location Users can "choose to responsibly share your location with friends you pick" using the new Instagram map, Meta said Thursday. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, shared an update on his account with a more detailed explanation, clarifying the opt-in nature of the new map feature. "Your location will only be shared *if* you decide to share it, and if you do, it can only shared with a limited group of people you choose," he wrote in the caption of a post. "To start, location sharing is *completely off.*" For those who decide to share location, Mosseri said the three audience-sharing options are "(1) a custom list you make, (2) your Close Friends list, or (3) or followers you follow back." When users share locations in their stories, they will show up on the location map for 24 hours. Mosseri added that "as always with Stories, this only shows the place you tagged to your followers -- it does not share your real-time or live location." Additionally, Meta said Thursday that parents with Instagram supervision set up for their teens "have control over their location sharing experience on the map." "You will receive a notification if your teen starts sharing their location, giving you the opportunity to have important conversations about how to safely share with friends," the company said. "You can decide whether your teen has access to location sharing on the map and see who your teen is sharing their location with." Friends tab in Reels The third new Instagram feature Meta announced Thursday is the so-called "Friends" tab in Reels, which the company said will allow users to see "public content your friends have interacted with, or recommendations from Blends you've started, and easily start conversations about them." The new feature, which Meta said began rolling out "earlier this year" before launching globally, can be found at the top of the Reels tab. "We're also rolling out controls for what's shown in the Friends tab, including the ability to hide your own likes and comments on reels, and to mute activity bubbles from specific people you follow," the company said. To edit or opt out of the Friends Reels activity feature, users can go to their "Settings and activity" page, scroll down to "Activity in Friends tab" and select the audience with whom they wish to share their Reels activity, which includes an option to share the activity with "no one."
News18
07-08-2025
- News18
Instagram rolls out new Repost, Interactive Map, and Friend Tab features
Los Angeles [US], August 7 (ANI): Instagram has launched three new major features — Repost, Interactive Map, and Friends tab — for its users. The Repost feature will help users share others' content with your own followers and friends. The feature will give credit to the original poster. 'Interactive Map' feature will remind you of Snapchat Map. With this option, one can share their last active location with a chosen group of friends. The user can see their locations and content they've posted from interesting places. Also, the feature is designed with safety as a priority–parents of supervised teen accounts will be notified if their child turns on location sharing. 'Share locations with friends and see what's happening around you on the Instagram map. And if you're a parent with supervision set up for your teen, you have control over whether they can share their location, and who they're sharing with," said Instagram. The Maps feature is off until users choose to turn location sharing Friends tab within Reels helps users see what their friends have liked, commented on, or recommended via Blends. On Wednesday, Instagram shared these updates through an official blog post, accompanied by a reel from platform chief Adam Mosseri, where he opened up about the new features in detail. (ANI)
Indian Express
07-08-2025
- Indian Express
Instagram launches Repost, Interactive Map, and Friend Tab features to boost interactions
Meta has launched three new features on Instagram that will help users connect better with their friends: Repost, Interactive Map, and Friends tab. With the Repost button, users can now repost Reels or Posts they think will resonate with their friends. The feature will give credit to the original poster and enable artists to connect with more people. Users can also add notes to their reposts. To do so, one needs to click on the repost button to share a reel or post, and they can add a note by filling in the thinking bubble that displays on the screen, and clicking the save button. Instagram map is similar to Snapchat Map, which the platform has had for a long time. This feature allows users to share their last active location with a chosen group of friends. The user can see their locations and content they've posted from interesting places. Meta says that the user has complete control over their privacy, and the Maps feature is off until users choose to turn location sharing on. They can also customise who sees their location. There are four customisable ways the user can share their location: Everyone, close friends, select people, or no one. The users' location will be turned on when the app is open. The Friends tab within Reels enables users to see public content their friends interacted with, and get recommendations from Blends they have joined. Meta rolled out this feature earlier this year, and is now launching this feature globally. Tap the 'Friends' link at the top of Reels to open the Friends page. Tap the 'Reels' tab to go back to your regular Reels feed. Additionally, Meta has also introduced restrictions for what appears in the Friends tab, and a feature that can control what is shown on the Friends tab, which enables you to hide the users' own likes and comments on Reels, and mute their activity bubbles from specific people who follow them.
