March 29, 2017
Facebook Live Location has been introduced this week, Facebook’s new location tracking feature.
Facebook has had security and privacy issues in the past with people being unaware of their location services being on, particularly with the ‘Nearby Friends’ function that launched in 2014. Facebook Live Location offers a similar function, but has much more security, and gives the user more control. The new tool allows you to share your location on messenger for an hour, with a timer visible to you and the friend you’ve sent it to. You can stop sharing your location at any time, and can share it with a group as well as an individual. Your Live Location is live in the sense that your friend can see you moving within the hour timeframe.
Facebook recognised ‘How far away are you?’ as one of the most typed questions on the messenger platform, so are hoping that Facebook Live Location is the answer. One of the most useful aspects is the map gives you an idea of how long it would take you to get to your friend’s location by car. Added to this, you can send a static point on a map which could come in useful when you’re deciding where to meet someone.
In terms of safety, the addition of Facebook Live Location appears to be a good answer for sharing your location in private, and making sure it’s only visible to whoever you’re messaging.
We can’t deny that Facebook is a great platform for bringing people together, and sharing in general. The addition of the Live Location is another justification of this. Apparently, the function won’t have an impact on your battery life, but we’ll believe that when we see it!