Instagram announced its new Maps feature about two months ago – and at the time we were all gagging over how it was literally coming for Snapchat’s neck. But since the feature was only available in the US at that time, all the panic and faff didn’t really register. Last night however, the notification landed that the Instagram Maps update was here and I was bombarded with decisions about what I wanted to share and who I wanted to share it with. As a professional nosy bastard, it was great to see the map and see what everyone was up to but I think the more urgent part is of course how to make sure no one can see you and what happens if you request your friend’s Instagram Maps UK update location.
Instagram Maps is a bit chaos
So now it’s here in the UK, here’s what actually happens on Instagram Maps. If you let the app use your location, it will update whenever you go on the app and show you at the last location. If you post any stories or grid posts from locations they’ll be marked there for a while. You can also browse around and see posts from your friends and celebs at whatever locations they’re in.
When you first get notified about the feature, you can pick who sees your location if the service is kept on. You can choose between your Instagram friends (those who you follow who also follow you back), your close friends or a custom amount of people. You can of course also just turn it off entirely.
How to find it again if you lose it
To get back to Instagram Maps settings now it’s launched the update in the UK – go to your profile on the Instagram app. Press the three lines in the top corner, and then in the ‘Who can see your content’ selection of settings click on Story, Live and location. Here you can directly see the map and also customise who can see what if you need it turned off.
Also, if you request a friend’s location WARNING from me to you: It sends it to them as a message and you feel creepy af when they reply like “excuse me…”.
I have way more people on Instagram than I ever did on Snapchat so my Maps is currently SWAMPED and I feel extremely overstimulated by it.
For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook.
