Facebook’s Nearby Friends feature allowed users to see which of their Facebook friends were physically close by and available to meet up. This was a useful tool for spontaneous get-togethers and hanging out with friends who happened to be in the same area. However, in 2019 Facebook discontinued the Nearby Friends feature due to low usage and privacy concerns.
Why did Facebook remove Nearby Friends?
There were a few key reasons why Facebook decided to remove the Nearby Friends feature:
- Low usage – According to Facebook, Nearby Friends was not used by the majority of Facebook users. So it was not seen as a critical feature.
- Privacy concerns – There was some backlash regarding the location tracking required for Nearby Friends. Users were worried about privacy issues.
- Resource focus – Facebook wanted to focus resources on more widely used products and features.
While some users were fans of Nearby Friends and were disappointed to see it go, overall it did not have broad appeal. Facebook determined it was not worth the privacy tradeoffs and development resources to keep the feature.
What are some alternatives to Nearby Friends?
Here are a few ways users can get similar functionality to Nearby Friends through other platforms and apps:
Other social media location features
- Snapchat Map – Shows your friends’ locations on a map if they opt in to location sharing.
- Messenger Location Sharing – Allows real-time location sharing with friends and groups.
- WhatsApp Live Location – Share real-time location temporarily or for a specified time period.
Friend locator apps
- Life360 – A family and friends locator app with advanced location features.
- Glympse – Temporarily share your real-time location with others.
- Find My Friends – Locate your friends on a map if they are sharing their location.
Local social discovery apps
- Nextdoor – Connect with neighbors and see local events and recommendations.
- Meetup – Browse local groups and events by interest.
- Eventbrite – Discover local events and things to do.
The key is finding a platform where your friends and contacts are already active users. Choosing apps with good privacy controls and location sharing options is also recommended.
Will Facebook ever bring back Nearby Friends?
It seems unlikely that Facebook will revive the Nearby Friends feature, for a few reasons:
- User base has moved on – Most Facebook users adapted to the removal of Nearby Friends years ago.
- Privacy issues remain – Location tracking concerns would persist if Nearby Friends returned.
- Focus is on different products – Facebook is prioritizing other products like Stories, Watch, Marketplace.
Facebook has not indicated any plans to reinstate Nearby Friends. They are focused on newer features and products that drive more engagement. Unless there was a major shift in user demand or strategy, the company will likely keep Nearby Friends discontinued.
What are pros and cons of nearby friend location sharing?
Here are some potential pros and cons of the nearby friends location sharing concept:
Pros
- Convenience – Easily see and connect with friends closeby for spontaneous meetups.
- Find events – Discover nearby events and activities friends are at.
- Safety – In an emergency, you could know if a friend is nearby to help.
- New connections – Meet new people through friends of friends in the area.
Cons
- Privacy concerns – Some people don’t like constant location tracking and sharing.
- Battery life – Continuous location services drain phone battery life.
- Distraction – Can disrupt productivity and focus if friends frequently want to meet up.
- Stalking risks – Potential for abuse from unwanted tracking or harassment.
Users need to evaluate these pros and cons to decide if nearby friends location sharing fits their lifestyle and privacy preferences. Turning off the feature, limiting data sharing, and controlling app notifications can help manage some of the downsides.
What location-based apps are popular nowadays?
Here are some examples of popular and commonly used location-based apps these days:
Ridesharing & Delivery
- Uber
- Lyft
- DoorDash
- Uber Eats
- Postmates
Travel & Local
- Google Maps
- Yelp
- Tripadvisor
- Airbnb
- GasBuddy
Social
- Snapchat
- Tinder
- Nextdoor
Fitness
- Strava
- Runkeeper
- Runtastic
- MapMyRun
Some key factors driving the popularity of these location-based apps include:
- Convenience – Simplifies travel, shopping, dining, commuting, etc.
- Hyperlocal features – Connects people to nearby places and events.
- Real-time data – Provides instant info like traffic, wait times, delivery tracking.
- Fitness motivation – Allows tracking workouts and sharing performance.
- Social connection – Helps meet up with nearby friends or dates.
Location-based apps that provide utility, real-time data, and a smooth user experience tend to gain and retain users most effectively today.
How can businesses use mobile location data responsibly?
Here are some ways businesses can adopt ethical practices for collecting and applying mobile location data:
- Obtain user consent – Clearly disclose data collection and get opt-in user permission.
- Anonymize data – Remove personally identifiable information and aggregate data.
- Limit data retention – Only keep location data as long as necessary.
- Secure data – Use encryption and limit employee access to the data.
- Provide user controls – Allow users transparency and control over their data sharing.
- Serve users – Use data to improve products and provide benefits to users.
- Vet partners carefully – If sharing data, ensure partners are ethical and secure.
- Audit practices – Conduct periodic audits to identify compliance gaps or new risks.
Following these best practices can help build user trust and prevent misuse of sensitive location data. Responsible location data use upholds privacy while enabling businesses to provide better services.
Conclusion
Facebook’s Nearby Friends offered the ability to easily locate nearby friends for spontaneous meetups. However, due to low usage and privacy concerns, Facebook removed the feature in 2019. While certainly convenient, nearby friend location sharing raises some potential downsides that users should consider carefully. Apps like Snapchat, Messenger, and Life360 offer similar friend locating capabilities today. Location-based apps remain popular for many use cases, though require ethical data practices to earn ongoing user trust.