DOD: Despite privacy concerns, new Instagram location tracker ‘poses minimal risk’ to personnel

While they are aware of the cyber and operational security concerns swirling online, Pentagon leaders have assessed that Instagram’s new and controversial location tracking feature does not pose a major risk to the privacy and safety of U.S. military and Defense Department civilian personnel or their families at this time, according to a defense official.

Dubbed Instagram Map, the new function on the popular, Meta-owned social media platform enables users to see others’ active locations when they post on the app. Since its launch this month, experts have warned the app could inadvertently reveal sensitive information about service members’ whereabouts to unauthorized individuals. 

In response to an inquiry from DefenseScoop, a defense official said on Wednesday that the Pentagon “takes operations security (OPSEC) matters seriously” — and that officials have been tracking this new feature since it came online.

“The limitations on location sharing as described by the app’s developer show that this feature poses a minimal risk to DOD OPSEC. The Instagram app is considered by DOD as an unmanaged app, it is not approved for widespread official business by service members or DOD employees on government-furnished equipment,” they told DefenseScoop.

The department is no stranger to vulnerabilities associated with geolocation and data privacy on handheld or wearable devices, and social media apps like Instagram. During one incident in 2018, for instance, a public heat map generated by a widely-used fitness app inadvertently revealed the locations of military facilities and personnel — presenting serious security risks.

“The department has existing policy on the use of geolocation-enabled applications, to include on personal devices, and generally prohibits their use in operational areas. Depending on the specific mission requirements, commanders can also prohibit their use in other areas, such as locations in the United States or in overseas non-operational locations (e.g., assigned to Ramstein Air Base),” the defense official told DefenseScoop Wednesday. “In addition, DOD has incorporated mobile application geolocation security awareness training into the Annual Cybersecurity Awareness training and Operational Security annual training.”

On Wednesday evening, a Meta spokesperson told DefenseScoop that “Instagram Map is off by default, and your live location is never shared unless you choose to turn it on. If you do, only people you follow back — or a private, custom list you select — can see your location.”

The spokesperson did not provide more information about the platform’s control and handling of the user data captured when location services are turned on in the app.

Updated on Aug. 13, 2025, at 7:45 PM: This story has been updated to include a comment from a Meta spokesperson.