Facebook is shutting down several services that tracked your location in real time — including Nearby Friends, weather alerts, location history, and background location — due to “low usage.” In a notice sent to people who have used the feature in the past, Facebook says it will stop collecting data related to these features on May 31 and delete any stored data on August 1.
Facebook parent company Meta confirmed the news. "While we are removing some location-based features on Facebook due to low usage, people can still use Location Services to manage how their location information is collected and used," spokesman Emil Vazquez said in an emailed statement.
However, that doesn’t mean Facebook will stop collecting location data altogether. As it notes in its note to users, Facebook says it “will continue to collect location information for other experiences” to serve relevant ads and location check-ins in accordance with its data policy. You can view, download, or delete any location data the platform has stored in the Settings and Privacy menu. Otherwise, Facebook will automatically delete any stored data related to its discontinued services on August 1.
I don't think many users will be sad to see these features disappear. (It doesn't seem like many people rely on Facebook for weather alerts these days.) Nearby Friends, which launched in 2014, allowed the Facebook app to share your real-time location with your friends — and vice versa — in order to organize in-person hangouts with people nearby . Its popularity has understandably waned over the years as similar features like Snapchat 's Snap Map and Apple 's Find My Friends have taken hold .
Given that Facebook doesn’t have the best reputation for keeping user data secure, it’s actually a big relief that Facebook is getting rid of these location-based features. Facebook began allowing Android to disable background location tracking in 2019 after a report revealed that Facebook was tracking users’ locations if they made a “credible” threat. (Apple allows users to disable location tracking for specific apps.)
You can read Facebook's full message to users here:
Because you have previously used Nearby Friends, Weather notifications, Location History, or Background Location, we are letting you know that these products and features will no longer be available after May 31, 2022. Information you shared and used for these experiences, including Location History and Background Location, will stop being collected after May 31, 2022, even if you have previously turned them on. Otherwise, Facebook will continue to collect location information for other experiences, as described in our Data Policy.
Update your settings
You can update your current Location History and Background Location settings in the Facebook app until May 31, 2022. After that date, the settings will be disabled.
Access your Location History
If you want to view or delete your existing Location History, you can access your information and download your information before August 1, 2022. After that date, if you do nothing, your existing Location History information will be automatically deleted.
All of these changes were first spotted by social media consultant Matt Navarra when he noticed a notification in his app.
Source of information: theverge.com
