Feature request: Live location sharing
Summary
Add support for live, real-time location sharing — a continuously updating location broadcast to a contact or group for a chosen duration — similar to the feature offered by WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Maps.
Current behavior
Signal currently supports sending a static, one-time location pin (a snapshot of where you are at the moment of sending). There is no way to share a location that continues to update in real time.
Proposed behavior
- Start a live location share to a 1:1 chat or group.
- Choose a duration (e.g. 15 min / 1 hour / 8 hours) after which sharing stops automatically.
- The recipient sees the sender's position update in near real time on an in-app map.
- The sender can stop sharing at any time.
- End-to-end encrypted, consistent with Signal's privacy model — location updates should be delivered over the same E2EE channel as messages, with no third-party map/telemetry leakage where avoidable.
Motivation / use cases
- Coordinating meetups when one party is en route.
- Safety: letting a trusted contact follow your trip home in real time.
- Group outings (hikes, events) where members want to find each other.
This is one of the most common feature gaps cited when users compare Signal to WhatsApp/Telegram, and it can be implemented in a privacy-preserving, E2EE manner unlike the third-party-dependent implementations elsewhere.
Privacy considerations
- Sharing must be explicit and opt-in per share, with a clear, always-visible indicator while active and an easy stop control.
- Automatic expiry so a share can't be forgotten and left running indefinitely.
- Location data should never transit Signal servers in plaintext.
Thanks for considering.
Feature request: Live location sharing
Summary
Add support for live, real-time location sharing — a continuously updating location broadcast to a contact or group for a chosen duration — similar to the feature offered by WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Maps.
Current behavior
Signal currently supports sending a static, one-time location pin (a snapshot of where you are at the moment of sending). There is no way to share a location that continues to update in real time.
Proposed behavior
Motivation / use cases
This is one of the most common feature gaps cited when users compare Signal to WhatsApp/Telegram, and it can be implemented in a privacy-preserving, E2EE manner unlike the third-party-dependent implementations elsewhere.
Privacy considerations
Thanks for considering.