Facebook announced on Thursday that it is launching a new optional tool which will allow users to find out which of their Facebook friends are nearby. Called Nearby Friends, the new feature will apprise you whenever your friends are round the corner so that you can plan a hangout. For example, if you are going to the movies, Nearby Friends will show you the list of friends who stay close by, so you can watch the movie together.
The new tool is an optional feature. This means you can turn it on and off according to your convenience. Moreover, you can decide with whom you want to share your location. You can choose from all friends, close friends, or a specific list of friends and allow them to know whenever you are nearby. To enable the feature, you and your friends both have to turn on Nearby Friends and choose to share your location with each other.
You can also turn on Nearby Friends for a specific time period, say the next one hour, and share a precise location with a particular set of friends. When you share your location, the friend you choose to share your location info with, will see exactly where you are on a map.
If your friend is traveling and is active on the tool, you will be able to see the city they are currently in. So, if you find a friend visiting a place you have already been to, you can recommend them some of the best restaurants and hotspots of the area. Nearby Friends will be available on all Android and iPhone devices in the US over the coming weeks. Facebook has also provided a detailed insight into the new feature on its Help section, you can visit the Help Center to learn more.
