(NewsNation) — Instagram is attempting to clear the air about a new location feature amid reports claiming the social media company is tracking its users and sharing the information with others.
The new “precise location” feature does not display a user’s exact location automatically in everything you post.
Instead, according to Instagram, it uses “precise location for things like location tags and maps features,” the company said on Twitter Thursday.
Meaning your precise location is only available to other users if you’re adding a location tag to a post or using the maps feature.
Some were concerned an automatic tracking on all posts would have posed a risk to people being stalked or those trying to escape domestic violence.
Instagram insists that is not the case.
“People can manage Location Services via their device settings, and tag locations on their posts if they want to share that information,” Instagram said.