Instagram’s latest update was supposed to make finding friends easier — instead, it’s making many users feel far too visible. The platform has rolled out Live Map, a location-sharing feature tucked inside the direct messages section, but within hours of its launch, it triggered a wave of privacy concerns and online warnings.

Meta, Instagram’s parent company, introduced the feature as a “lightweight” tool to help people connect with friends and discover nearby happenings. But in practice, it allows users to see exactly where someone is in real time — if that person has chosen to share their location.

When users open Live Map, they can view the locations of friends who have opted in, based on their most recent Instagram activity or Story posts. On first use, the app prompts users to decide who can see their location, offering options from “no one” to “close friends” or “specific followers.”

While Instagram positioned the tool as a way to encourage local discovery, the response online has been less than enthusiastic. Just hours after Wednesday’s rollout, screenshots of the map began circulating across X (formerly Twitter), Threads, TikTok, and Instagram itself. Many posts quickly went viral, with influencers, celebrities, and privacy advocates urging followers to double-check their settings.

One of the most vocal critics was Kelley Flanagan, a lifestyle influencer and former contestant on The Bachelor, who bluntly advised users to “turn off” the feature. She hinted at the potential risks, including unwanted tracking or even stalking.

The reaction underscores the delicate balance social media platforms face between creating new ways to connect and protecting user privacy. While location sharing is not new — platforms like Snapchat and Apple’s Find My have similar capabilities — the idea of sharing one’s exact position in real time on Instagram, a platform with over two billion users, has made many uneasy.

Influencers and safety advocates warn that even when location sharing is restricted to “close friends” or “select followers,” it could still be misused, especially if someone’s account is compromised or if their definition of “close friends” changes over time.

Instagram has yet to release detailed guidance on the feature’s privacy safeguards, but Meta representatives have emphasized that it is entirely optional and designed with granular control settings. Users can adjust their preferences at any time or disable the feature completely.

For now, the backlash highlights just how sensitive users have become to online tracking — and how quickly new features can shift from being seen as convenient to potentially dangerous. As conversations about digital safety grow louder, Instagram’s Live Map is proving to be yet another reminder that in the connected world, knowing “where you are” can be as risky as it is social.