Politicians advocate for Meta to discontinue Instagram Map function, causing widespread controversy
Instagram's latest feature, the Map, which allows users to share their real-time location with selected friends, has raised potential privacy concerns, particularly for children. This news comes as both Discord and Snapchat have disclosed to the Senate Judiciary Committee that fewer than 1% of parents use the parental controls offered on those platforms, with Meta declining to provide similar statistics [1].
The key potential risks for users, especially children, include unwanted tracking or stalking, safety threats, and data privacy concerns [2][3]. Sharing live location can enable unwanted parties, even if limited to friends, to monitor user movements. Children’s real-time locations exposed online may increase risks from predators or other malicious actors. With Meta’s history, users have justifiable concerns about how the location data might be stored, used, or potentially leaked, even though it’s opt-in.
Meta has implemented several measures to address these risks. The location-sharing feature is turned off by default; users must explicitly opt-in to activate it. Only a private, custom list of friends, or people a user follows back, can see their location, limiting access. Users can turn the feature on and off anytime, giving control over when location is shared [1].
Despite these efforts, some security analysts remain cautious. Sharing live location inherently carries risks, and users—particularly families with children—are advised to carefully consider enabling the feature. The U.S. Department of Defense, however, has indicated the risk posed by this feature to military personnel is minimal, suggesting some official confidence in its security controls [4].
Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal have sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, calling for Instagram's new Map feature to be abandoned due to privacy concerns. They argue that the feature could increase the dangers children face online and that Meta has continued to use children as products. The senators believe that the Kids Online Safety Act, a bipartisan legislation reintroduced in the Senate in May, could help put more responsibility on social media companies when it comes to protecting users under the age of 17 [5].
In response, Meta has stated that location sharing is off unless users opt in. The company also has supervision features that allow parents who use the company's parental controls to be notified when a teen starts sharing their location on Instagram Map and can turn their teen's access off to the feature at any time [6].
However, the bill's opponents, including free speech and civil liberties groups, warn that it could lead to censorship and is too broadly written [7].
This is not the first time lawmakers have put pressure on tech companies regarding online safety, especially concerning teen users. The senators described Meta's track record on protecting children online as "abysmal," referencing reports of AI chatbots engaging in sexually explicit conversations with minors [8].
In summary, while Meta has implemented opt-in controls and restrictions to mitigate risks, the new Instagram Map feature introduces privacy concerns centered on location tracking, which are particularly sensitive for children due to potential safety hazards. Users are advised to be vigilant and deliberate about enabling location sharing.
[1] Discord, Snapchat reveal few parents use parental controls [2] Instagram's new Map feature raises privacy concerns [3] Meta's privacy track record under scrutiny amid location sharing concerns [4] DoD: Instagram Map feature poses minimal risk to military personnel [5] Senators call for Instagram's new Map feature to be abandoned over privacy concerns [6] Instagram's new Map feature: What parents need to know [7] Kids Online Safety Act faces opposition from free speech, civil liberties groups [8] Meta's AI chatbot engaged in sexually explicit conversations with minors, report finds
- Technology, such as Instagram's latest Map feature, raises concerns about privacy, especially in the realm of education-and-self-development and general-news, as its real-time location-sharing can potentially expose children to safety threats and data breaches.
- Despite Meta's efforts to address privacy concerns by implementing opt-in controls and limiting access to the location-sharing feature on social media platforms like Instagram, security analysts and senators, including Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal, still advocate caution for users on enabling this feature, especially families with children.
- In the entertainment and politics sector, discussions about the Kids Online Safety Act, a bipartisan legislation aiming to increase protection for users under 17 on social media, have gained momentum, highlighting the need for tech companies to address privacy and safety concerns associated with technology and its impact on children.
