Specialists are voicing concerns about a recent Instagram update, highlighting potential risks such as stalking and physical threats.
Last month, Meta introduced several new features for Instagram users in the United States.
One feature causing controversy is the Instagram Map, which enables users to share their recent active location on their stories, reels, and posts with mutual followers. The map provides details down to specific streets and landmarks, causing alarm among many users.
Despite Meta’s assurance that the Map feature is optional and can be limited to a select group of friends, various experts in the fields of violence prevention, domestic abuse, stalking, and digital security have expressed concerns about the implications of this feature.
Experts appreciate the ‘opt-in’ default but argue that relying solely on user choice to ensure safety is unrealistic.
There are numerous reasons for concern, including the possibility of survivors and victims of abuse being coerced into enabling location-sharing, as well as a general lack of digital safety awareness.
Jennifer Simmons Kaleba, Vice President at RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), stated: “Kids and young adults trade Instagram handles in the way older people might have traded phone numbers. And unlike your phone number, your Instagram profile gives near-strangers extremely detailed insight into your personal life.”
Kadın Dayanışma Vakfı, a women’s support group in Turkey, observed that tracking people’s daily routines, movements, and social circles has become easier online.
Social media has already made it easier for abusers, stalkers, and predators to gather information about their targets.
Experts warn that the Map feature could further encourage stalkers and increase incidents of harassment and violence.
Alessandra Pauncz, Executive Director of WWP EN, pointed out that perpetrators might feel they have “omnipresence and total control,” as a “digital shadow” can accompany victims at all times.
The rise of illegal spyware that can access messages and camera feeds, in combination with location-sharing apps, further simplifies the work of stalkers or abusers.
Law enforcement agencies are struggling to keep up because they often lack the resources and expertise needed to counteract the tools used by perpetrators.
The rise in technology-facilitated abuse due to social media places victims in a challenging position, making it difficult to escape from harmful individuals who can monitor and manipulate them more efficiently than before.
Meta states that the location shared on the Map is temporary, disappearing after 24 hours, and does not show real-time locations.
However, experts argue that even sharing street-level information can lead to “real-world harm” for those affected by domestic violence, according to Emma Pickering, Head of Tech-Facilitated Abuse at Refuge.
Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) also noted the potential for the Map feature to cause both physical and psychological harm to survivors.
They warned: “Digital safety is inseparable from physical safety. A seemingly neutral feature can have deeply gendered and dangerous consequences if not designed with the realities of coercive control and gender-based violence in mind.”
Experts highlight how social media has fostered a toxic narrative in relationships, where invasive practices like sharing passwords and locations are framed as acts of love or concern.
WAVE stated that the “Instagram Map” could further legitimize surveillance in intimate relationships.
Young people, particularly girls, may feel pressured into sharing their location, compromising their safety.
Experts agree that refusing such demands could result in physical violence or other severe consequences.
Gorica Ivić, a WAVE board member, noted that threats related to sharing intimate content are common.
A Meta representative stated: “Instagram Map is off by default, and your location is never shared unless you choose to turn it on. If you do, only just people you follow back—or a private, custom list you select—can see your location.”
Meta reiterated that the Map does not share real-time locations, and the content appears on the Map for only 24 hours.
The company indicated it has enhanced the feature based on user feedback, including adding a prominent reminder and removing profile photos to clarify that it is not showing someone’s location.
Sara Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive of Welsh Women’s Aid, discussed the shift in technology facilitating constant surveillance and emphasized the need to consider the broader surveillance tech landscape.
She said, “We should talk about the wider surveillance tech landscape in my view rather than focus on one. Plus the opt-in is a good thing, it means we are encouraging the ‘decision’ to be visible unlike the default surveillance on so many apps and devices.”
Although Meta has made adjustments to the Map, experts continue to advocate for additional changes.
WAVE urged the company to avoid “external prompts or gamification” in promoting the Map, and to provide clear information on the risks of coercive control and digital abuse before activating the setting.
Emma Pickering remarked that Refuge wants Meta to consult with experts on gender-based violence and digital safety before expanding the feature and to prioritize the safety of vulnerable users. Fiona Murdoch of Rape Crisis Network Ireland called on Meta to remove the Map entirely.
Fiona stated, “At legislative level, there has been much hard fought progress made to protect vulnerable people’s data and privacy from abusers and stalkers. The business imperative of a private multi-national corporation cannot be allowed to set that work back to nought.”
Meta responded, saying it collaborates with over 400 women’s safety organizations and experts worldwide, having its own advisory group to ensure its platforms are safe for women.