Instagram’s newest feature, Map, is creating quite a buzz, but not in the way it was intended. This opt-in function, allowing users to share their real-time whereabouts with followers or those on their Close Friends list, is coming under fire from creators and users apprehensive about their safety being compromised.

On social media platforms, confusion has escalated into alarm. Users are inundating Instagram, Threads, and X with alerts to “disable” Instagram Map, worrying that the app may be revealing their current location to followers or unknown individuals.

So, is Instagram disclosing your whereabouts without permission? Instagram head Adam Mosseri states that the answer is no. He suggests it’s a case of misunderstanding.

“From what we gather, most of the situation stems from people tagging their stories and posts with locations,” Mosseri remarked on Threads, addressing the backlash since the feature’s introduction. “Then when they – or their followers – view those stories and posts on the map, they believe the creator is revealing their live location, which is incorrect. We can, and will, enhance clarity about what’s really happening.”

Instagram Map is designed to share only content with location tags, such as Stories or posts with geotags, and not a user’s live position. Moreover, it is entirely optional. Users can decide whether to share that content publicly, selectively with followers, or solely with a chosen group of Close Friends. Nevertheless, the feature’s introduction and Instagram’s ambiguous communication have left many users feeling unsettled.

Critics emphasize that creators, particularly women and marginalized individuals, often tread a fine line concerning personal safety and online exposure. The apprehension extends beyond mere misinterpretation of the feature; it addresses the larger consequences of being traceable at all.

However, the anxiety has also ignited a broader contemplation of geotagging as a whole. While users have historically added location tags to their posts and Stories without much consideration, Instagram Map strikingly visualizes that practice in a manner that suddenly feels much more real and perilous. The visualization of content on a map compels users to acknowledge how extensively they have already been sharing their daily activities.

Mosseri has assured that Instagram will soon improve transparency regarding the feature, but for a significant number of users, the trust has already been compromised.

As worries about digital security escalate, Instagram’s flawed communication acts as another reminder that regarding location data, even the mere notion of exposure can be perceived as a risk.