Instagram Map Explained: What it is, why it’s causing a stir, and how it differs from Google Maps

Meta’s Instagram has rolled out a new “Map” feature in the US, allowing users to share and view live locations of friends directly from the app’s message inbox. Positioned as a tool to “stay up to date with friends” and discover nearby events or trending spots, Instagram Map displays live locations — if users opt in — and also surfaces past posts tagged with a location.

The feature, similar to Snapchat’s “Snap Map,” appears at the top of Instagram’s messages tab and is turned off by default. Users can choose to share their…