Instagram just added a location sharing feature. Here's how to use it

Planning a meetup at a concert or festival is about to get a little easier. Instagram is adding one of Snapchat’s best features so you can share your live location via DM.

The social media site, owned by Meta, explained in a blog post on Monday how the new feature works.

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Location sharing is off by default. When you decide to share your location via a one-to-one DM or group chat, the recipients can see your live location for up to an hour. If you’re concerned about privacy, Instagram has that concern in mind. Even if someone forwards the message to another person, only the original person you sent the message to can see where you are.

You’ll see an indicator at the top of your chat to remind you that you’re sharing your location, and you can stop sharing it at any time. 

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WhatsApp, Meta’s other messaging app, has had this feature for some time now, but it lets you share your location for up to eight hours. Google Maps offers a similar feature for Android as does Apple for its devices.

Instagram also announced 17 new sticker packs and the ability to customize nicknames in a DM. Instagram says these custom names only appear in the DM and will not appear elsewhere on the site. 

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You can change your nickname at any time. You can also decide who can give you a nickname. To change your name in a DM, tap the chat name at the top of the conversation and then tap “Nicknames”. 

Instagram noted these features are available “in select countries”, but didn’t name them. The new features are visible for some US users, so it looks like a gradual rollout.