Instagram launches live location sharing feature in the DMs, along with nickname feature

Instagram has just announced a new feature which will allow users to share their exact live location in private direct messages.

“Now, in your DMs, you can share your live location for up to 1 hour or pin a spot on the map to coordinate arrival times, activities or find each other in crowded spaces – perfect for concerts, outings, or other gatherings with friends,” writes the company in a news update.

The live location sharing can be sent either in a 1:1 or group chat with all members of the chat able to see the details.

Photo Credit to Instagram, Meta

The platform has stressed that this cannot be forwarded to other chats and those who enable this feature will see an indicator at the top of the DM to ensure they don’t forget this is viewable.

To be able to utilize this new addition, the feature must be turned on manually as it remains off by default. The sharing of the location can then be stopped at any time.

The feature is being rolled out, alongside other “ways to connect through DMs,” but is only available in select countries.

In the update on Monday (November 25) Instagram shared two other upgrades to “make it easier and more fun” to connect with friends.

This includes ‘Say It with Stickers’ which is a new reaction tool that includes 17 new sticker packs with over 300 stickers. These are usable in DMs and stickers shared by friends can be reused.

The other update includes now being able to customize names across DMs by adding nicknames for yourself and selecting people in the chat. This can be changed at any time, along with deciding who in the chat is able to change your nickname.

These names will only appear in the chats and won’t affect the username anywhere else on IG.

To create a nickname, users simply need to tap on the chat name at the top of the conversation and click ‘Nicknames.’ This will open up the option to change the name of the person you want to add a nickname for.

Featured Image: Via Meta’s Instagram update

The post Instagram launches live location sharing feature in the DMs, along with nickname feature appeared first on ReadWrite.