Instagram's got a new map and repost feature that looks familiar
Whether it’s mimicking TikTok’s virality engine or Snapchat’s real-world map, the app seems determined to cover all bases.
Gone are the days when every social media app had its own unique flavour. Today, it feels like they’re all blending into one. Instagram, once a humble photo-sharing platform, is the latest to double down on this trend with a handful of updates that borrow literally from Snapchat, TikTok, and even X. The newest additions? A real-time(ish) location map, full-fledged reposting, and a global rollout of the Friends tab for Reels.
Let’s start with the location feature. Instagram is introducing a new map, tucked inside your DMs, that shows your friends’ most recent active location, if they’ve opted in. The map also pulls in public content from specific spots like festivals or restaurants, giving you a bird's-eye view of what people are posting near you.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
While this isn’t exactly real-time tracking (the app only updates your location when it’s open), it’s clearly Instagram’s take on Snap Map, which just hit over 400 million monthly users. Add in “Notes” that can be dropped on the map, and you’ve got something that looks a lot like a Zenly revival, the beloved social map app Snap shut down in 2023.
Reposts are also officially here. Instead of only sharing someone’s content to your Story or through DMs, you can now repost public Reels or grid posts directly to your feed. These reposts will live in a dedicated tab on your profile and may also show up in your followers’ feeds. Sound familiar? That’s because TikTok already lets users repost videos to their own profile, and Twitter built its brand on the retweet. Instagram’s version even lets you add a comment-like “note” when reposting.
Then there’s the Friends tab in Reels, which was previously limited to U.S. users but is now available globally. This tab shows what your friends are liking, commenting on, reposting, or creating. It’s a bit of déjà vu for long-time users who remember Instagram’s old “Following” activity tab. The good news is you can now hide your own activity from the tab or mute what others are engaging with, something users were loudly asking for when the feature first dropped.
Altogether, these updates feel like Instagram is trying to be everything, everywhere, all at once. Whether it’s mimicking TikTok’s virality engine or Snapchat’s real-world map, the app seems determined to cover all bases. The question is—will users love it or just miss the old Instagram?
Oluwaseun Bamisile
