Facebook intros new opt-in feature called Nearby Friends (for Android and iPhone)

posted by Florin T. / Apr 17, 2014, 1:49 PM

Facebook just announced a new feature for Android and iPhone users: Nearby Friends. This is an optional feature that “occasionally” notifies you when Facebook friends are nearby. Thus, you could “get in touch with them and meet up.”

Nearby Friends isn’t a feature that will be enabled by default. Users can turn it on (or off) at any time, and they can choose which friends to see. To detect a friend nearby, both you and him/her need to have the new feature enabled.

Non-US users who may already think that this is a neat feature will probably be disappointed to find out that it won’t be released internationally - at least not for the beginning. According to Facebook, Nearby Friends will be available in the US in “the coming weeks.”

Facebook didn’t say if the new feature requires certain versions of Android and iOS (probably yes, though), Anyway, you can find out more about Nearby Friends at the source link below.

source: Facebook

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8 Comments

1. HTCOE

Posts: 650; Member since: Nov 20, 2011

this creeps me out.... ppl scared of the nsa knowing everything about them and where they are and etc seems contradicting if your using facebook imo.

posted on Apr 17, 2014, 2:09 PM 2

2. mobi_user

Posts: 152; Member since: Jun 18, 2013

I do not want anyone to be snooping around me.

posted on Apr 17, 2014, 2:42 PM 3

3. sipha

Posts: 440; Member since: May 12, 2012

Then just dont turn it on.. I think its a good 'optional' feature to have!!

posted on Apr 17, 2014, 4:01 PM 2

6. fireblade

Posts: 717; Member since: Dec 27, 2013

you can always turn the GPS off or buy phones with mediatek CPU

posted on Apr 18, 2014, 1:21 AM 0

4. Nabil2511

Posts: 152; Member since: Jan 27, 2014

forget about the feature, look at that picture! i wish there was a phone with that kind of bezels!

posted on Apr 17, 2014, 9:52 PM 0

5. Cyberchum

Posts: 1066; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

He you don't want it, don't use it, it's PRETTY SIMPLE. Some people freaks me out with their paranoia.

posted on Apr 17, 2014, 11:34 PM 0

7. 0xFFFF

Posts: 3806; Member since: Apr 16, 2014

It would be interesting to see how many of these "track my location" features are requested by actual users or if Facebook makes them for their masters at NSA.