Your Instagram location visible to stalkers via app? | Tech News

Your Instagram location visible to stalkers via app?

A viral post claims stalkers can access the exact location of Instagram users through the app. The accusation has forced Instagram to react.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Aug 28 2022, 12:44 IST
7 Instagram features that you must try- from knowing who is Online to sending silent messages
Instagram
1/7 Know who is online on Instagram: Once you open the app, at the top of your inbox, you can see who is free to chat at that moment, helping you find serendipitous opportunities to connect with friends. (Pixabay)
Instagram
2/7 Send silent messages: Send messages without notifying friends late at night or when they’re busy by adding “@silent” in your message. Now you can reach out without worrying about sending unwanted notifications. (REUTERS)
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3/7 Reply while you browse: Receive a new message while you are browsing your feed? You can now reply without going to your inbox and losing your place. This new feature makes it that much easier and more convenient to chat while on the app. (Pixabay)
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4/7 Quickly send to friends: You can reshare interesting content without interrupting your Instagram experience. By tapping and holding the share button, you can effortlessly reshare posts to your closest friends. (AP)
Instagram
5/7 Keep it on the lo-fi: Feeling chill? Try the new lo-fi chat theme to make your conversations feel more personal. (Reuters)
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6/7 Create a poll with your squad: Deciding where to go to dinner or what time to meet up? Instagram is bringing one of Messenger’s most beloved group chat features on the app so you can create a poll directly in your group chat. (Unsplash)
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7/7 Play, pause, and re-play: Enabled by integrations with Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify coming soon, you can now share a 30-second preview of that song you just can’t get out of your head, and your friends can listen directly from your chat. (Pixabay)
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Here is what Instagram says on a viral post claiming stalkers can access exact location via the app. (AP)

Instagram has finally responded to the posts claiming that stalkers can get the exact location of the users of the app after its recent update. It can be known that a rumour has been circulating on social media saying that the recent Instagram update activates 'precise location' on the phone of the user. This can enable stalkers to access the exact location of the Instagram user.

The claim was made by an influencer marketing firm and amplified on Instagram by other users, according to a report by MoneyControl. The message claiming that the stalkers and criminals can access the location of the Instagram users read, "Since a new update, people can find your EXACT location from Instagram and this is being used by individuals to target people to commit crimes including theft, stalking etc."

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"Please make sure 'precise location' is turned off. You can do this by going to your phones settings, Instagram, location and then make sure precise location is turned OFF," the post further advised.

Reacting on the above mentioned post, Instagram's PR team has clarified that the app does not share the user's location with anyone and it uses precise location for things like location tags and maps features.

In a series of tweets, Instagram Comms said, "We've seen a meme going around about how Instagram uses “precise location." 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. People can manage Location Services via their device settings, and tag locations on their posts if they want to share that information."

It can be known that precise location is not something new that is being found on Instagram. According to a report by PC Magazine, Apple had unveiled precise location in the year 2020, while Google launched it with Android 12.

There are several applications that need to access your exact location in order to guide you like Google Maps, Uber, among others. The feature helps the user to get step-by-step directions to the places they want to go. While social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, among others, use precise location to help users by providing them with relevant locations to tag in their posts.

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First Published Date: 28 Aug, 12:40 IST
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