WhatsApp’s Live Location Sharing Feature is Out: How It Works

The latest feature on the messaging app will be available on Android and iOS in the coming weeks.

WhatsApp is making location sharing useful in times of need. 

(Photo: iStockphoto)

In addition to sharing location with your friends and family, WhatsApp now lets you share your live location status with them as well. The feature has been rolled out to Android as well as iOS users, which is likely to reach all in the coming weeks.

Live Location sharing is done via end-to-end encryption, which lets people control who they share with and for how long. You can choose to stop sharing at any time or let the Live Location timer simply expire, according to the popular messaging company.

This feature will prove to be extremely useful during disasters and crisis situations, as help and relief can be provided more effectively and quickly.

For women, in unsafe and dangerous situations, it may be a helpful tool for police officials and families, as real-time locations can be shared easily on WhatsApp.

Ranjana Kumari, Centre for Social Research

How Live Location Sharing works. (Photo Courtesy: WhatsApp India)

How Live Location Works

• Select contact/group to share Live location with
• Select ‘Share Live Location’ from the Location section in the Attach button
• Choose the duration for which the contact can see your current location
• Send the location

• Multiple contacts can share Live Location and view them in a group

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