Facebook's Messenger with GPS tracking friends can see where you are

Facebook has new feature that will work within Messenger, and will allow people to share their location with friends.

It is because the company has found that one of the most used phrases on Messenger as people talk to friends and family is ‘How far away are you?’ or some variation, Stan Chudnovsky, head of product for Messenger, said in an interview.

‘It happens to be what people are saying, what they’re interested in the most,’ he said.
Sharing location information will be optional, he said, but it will also be live, so that once a user shares the information with a friend, the friend will be able to watch the user’s movement for up to 60 minutes.

Google Maps said last week that it was adding a similar feature, an attempt to boost engagement on a product of increasing strategic importance to that company.