Soon many unique and useful features of Facebook are going to be closed. In fact, Facebook’s Nearby Friends feature that allows people to share their current location with other Facebook users will no longer be available from May 31 this year. According to user reports on social media platforms, the company has started notifying users about the closure of the Nearby Friends feature and other location-based features. Nearby Friends functionality allows users to track real time location of their friends. Once enabled, this feature notifies users when their friends are near their current location. Along with Near Friends, Facebook is also turning off weather alerts, location history, and background location.
The company said this on Twitter
According to multiple user posts on Twitter, Facebook reportedly announced the closure of the Friends Nearby feature via a notification on the Facebook app. In a notification sent to users, the company said that this feature, which helps users to find out which friends are nearby or on the go, will no longer be available from May 31, 2022.
All these features are going to be turned off
Other location-based functions including weather alerts, location history and background location are also missing from the platform. The company has given users till August 1 this year to download their data including location history. After which it will be removed. However, Facebook clarified that it will continue to collect users’ location information for “other experiences”.
Nearby friends feature came in 2014
Facebook began rolling out the Nearby Friends feature on both iOS and Android in 2014. Optional functionality shows which friends are nearby or on the go. Once you turn on Nearby Friends, you’ll be notified when friends are around, so you can contact and meet them. Plus, you can see when your friends are traveling and see which city they’re in.
(cover photo credit – searchenginejournal)