Instagram Denies User Location Data Sharing
The Claim
Instagram shares your precise location with your followers.
News posted on
Emerging story
Users on social media claimed that an Instagram update that allows others to see their exact location online had been released.
Users who shared the claim also posted awareness-raising instructions on how to disable precise location on their mobile devices.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar found the circulating claim misleading.
Instagram's CEO and social media team refuted claims that their app tracks location data and shares it with followers.
Providing Precise Location Information
In 2020, Apple's annual operating system update, iOS 14, introduced the precise location setting to iPhone and iOS device users. In 2021, Google released it for Android 12.
It enables users to choose whether or not to provide precise location data to specific apps.
The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, stated that this is only used internally so that people can use location tags and map features.
However, if the user disables the precise location feature, Instagram will only reveal the user's approximate location.
Despite Instagram's denial, users have continued to share instructions on how to turn off their location.
Read More
