Instagram says precise location is never shared

Instagram says viral claims suggesting location tags on content can reveal users' exact locations are false.

Viral posts and videos have said a "precise location" toggle in app location settings on iOS and Android devices could share someone's exact location with other Instagram users.

Some viral posts suggested this was the result of an Instagram or iOS update.

But Instagram said this is not the case and the feature does not share locations with other users.

What is 'precise location'?

The setting was first revealed to iPhone and iOS device users in Apple's annual operating system update, iOS 14, in 2020. It was rolled out by Google for Android 12 in 2021.

It gives users the option to provide some apps with a more accurate location.

While now viewed by some as a controversial feature, it was praised when it was first released as a way to improve user privacy on mobile devices because it offers an alternative to the blanket application of location services.

The setting is automatically enabled for users on apps given permission to access their location.

For apps where precise location is turned off, only an approximate location will be identified and used