Snapchat’s map feature for showing friends’ locations is called Snap Map. Introduced in June 2017, it gave Snapchatters a map-based way to see selected friends and explore location-based public content.
Location sharing is optional. Users can choose to share with all their friends, with selected friends, or with no one through Ghost Mode. A friend’s location is represented through their Bitmoji or other map indicators, and visibility depends on the person’s privacy settings and recent activity.
Snap Map was built partly on technology and ideas associated with Zenly, a social mapping app that Snap acquired in 2017. The feature also incorporated public Stories and event-related content, making it more than a simple friend locator.
“Live Map” and “Friend Map” are understandable descriptions, but they are not the official product name. Snap Map can also be accessed through the Snapchat app’s map interface and has had web-based public content features.