Facebook has introduced a new way to share your location in Messenger. The new Live Location feature makes it simple and seamless for you to choose to share where you are in the real world with your friends and family. This is rolling out globally and is available on both iOS and Android.
In a blog post, Facebook said:
We’ve been testing this for a little while, and people tell us that Live Location is helpful when trying to coordinate with friends, telling people how close you are when you’re on your way to an appointment, or even sharing where you are with your roommate when you’re on your way home at night. You can share your Live Location with a group of friends in Messenger or just with one person – it’s up to you!
The most important thing to know is that Messenger is not going to suddenly start sharing your Live Location with your friends. You have to actively click a few things when you want to share your Live Location with a friend (or friends).
Once you share your Live Location, the person or people you share it with will be able to see where you are on a map for the next 60 minutes. Users have the option to stop sharing their location at any time – by tapping a button called “Stop Sharing”.
This new feature also enables people to share a static point on a map (instead of sharing their Live Location). It is useful for when a group of people want to meet at a specific place. I can see people making use if this feature at crowded conferences or cafeterias.
The Live Location feature is still rolling out. You can check to see if it is available where you are by visiting the Facebook Help Center. The last sentence on that post might say “Live Location isn’t available in your area yet.”