Facebook has introduced a new optional feature named “Nearby Friends” for its Android and iPhone mobile users. Launching the feature 4 days ago, Facebook product manager Andrea Vaccari says the “Nearby Friends” feature helps you discover which friends are nearby or see when your friends are travelling. The feature allows one to see the city or neighborhood friends are in, including on their profile.
“If you turn on Nearby Friends, you’ll occasionally be notified when friends are nearby, so you can get in touch with them and meet up. For example, when you’re headed to the movies, Nearby Friends will let you know if friends are nearby so you can see the movie together or meet up afterward.” wrote Andrea Vaccari in the Facebook newsroom blog.
The “Nearby Friends” new feature is completely optional which means you can turn it ON or OFF at anytime accordingly. If enabled the feature will reveal only your friends (friends or close friends or specific friends list) who are within 800m to 2.9km range. To address privacy and stalking concerns the feature only allows one to see location of friends who must have turned on the ‘Nearby Friends’ feature on their mobile devices and have chosen to share with each other.
Facebook’s “Nearby Friends” feature not only enables one to see their friends’ exact GPS location on the map, but also helps people find each other and meet offline. The new feature really helps one make last-minute get together plans with a friend who happens to be in the same place you’re headed to, says Vaccari. Also if you find one of your friends visiting the same place you’ve been, the feature gives you an opportunity to send a recommendation of a great restaurant out there.
