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People warned to check Instagram setting that can see your precise location

'That’s creepy AF that it’s auto turned on'

Daisy Jackson - 25th August 2022

People are being warned to check their phone’s settings after a ‘creepy’ feature of Instagram was noticed by users.

Several people have spotted that their permissions now grant Instagram access to their precise location, rather than approximate location.

One viral Instagram post has warned that individuals could use the function to ‘target people to commit crimes including theft, stalking etc’.

The post from Goal Digger Coaching says: “Since a new update, people can find your EXACT location from Instagram and this is being used by individuals to target people to commit crimes including theft, stalking etc.

“Please make sure ‘precise location’ is turned off. You can do this by going to your phones settings, Instagram, location & then make sure precise location is turned OFF.”

It appears to mean that even if you only use a general location tag – like ‘Manchester’ – Instagram would have permission to see a much more accurate location of where you are.

The setting also doesn’t appear to apply to Android phones.

It’s not clear who would actually be able to see this information either.

But regardless, people have begun to warn each other of the setting across different social media platforms.

One person on Twitter said: “everyone especially london ppl! go to settings and the specific apps section and turn off precise location, it allows other people (criminals!) to see your exact location even when you only tag say “london”, i turned it off for instagram, bereal, snapchat, facebook & uber”

Another posted: “Those with iPhones, especially women. Go into your settings>Instagram>location and then turn precise location OFF. That’s creepy AF that it’s auto turned on.”

Featured image: Unsplash