Kakao has significantly expanded the feature that allows users to check the location of their friends through a KakaoTalk update, increasing the time limit from the previous one hour to unlimited. This update has sparked mixed reactions among netizens, with some criticizing it as an "invasion of privacy" and others welcoming it as "convenient."

According to KakaoMap on November 18, Kakao updated its Talk Friend Location Sharing service to the 'Friend Location' feature on November 12. The Talk Friend Location Sharing service was first launched in 2019. Previously, KakaoTalk friends could check each other's locations for a limited time if both parties agreed. Users could choose to share their location for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 hour.

KakaoMap 'Friend Location' Service Usage Screen. KakaoMap

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With the updated 'Friend Location' feature, users can now check each other's locations without any time restrictions. As long as users do not end location sharing, they can continuously view each other's real-time locations. However, explicit consent is required before using the service, and users under the age of 14 must obtain parental consent. If users do not wish to share their location, they can temporarily hide it or stop sharing at any time. The 'Friend Location' feature is not available in anonymous open chat rooms or group chats with more than 100 members. Location sharing is only possible with KakaoTalk friends.

Nevertheless, reactions to Kakao's location sharing update remain divided. Negative responses, such as "Whether it's parents, partners, or friends, people with strong controlling tendencies will force others to share their location," "I don't want my girlfriend to know my real-time location," and "It will be used for surveillance," highlight concerns about privacy invasion. On the other hand, some users commented, "It will be useful for friends who often get lost," "It could help people with dementia," and "Parents can feel reassured knowing their children's whereabouts."

In October, the monthly active users (MAU) of the KakaoTalk app stood at 47.97 million, showing only a 0.4% decrease compared to August's 48.19 million, according to WiseApp Retail.

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According to WiseApp Retail on this day, the monthly active users (MAU) of KakaoTalk last month stood at 47.97 million. This represents only a 0.4% decrease compared to August's MAU of 48.19 million. A WiseApp Retail official explained, "Considering the margin of statistical error, the change in user numbers can be interpreted as almost negligible."

Other messenger apps, which were expected to benefit from KakaoTalk's overhaul, also saw little change. Last month, NateOn's MAU increased by 94.5% to 550,000. While the growth rate was high, the actual MAU was the lowest among the apps tracked by WiseApp Retail. KakaoTalk remained the most used messenger app among Koreans last month, followed by Discord with 6.44 million users, Telegram with 4.28 million, Facebook Messenger with 1.58 million, WeChat with 1.18 million, WhatsApp with 1.06 million, and NateOn with 550,000.

Following the KakaoTalk overhaul, Kakao achieved record-breaking results. Both revenue and operating profit reached all-time highs on a quarterly basis, and the average time users spent on KakaoTalk also rebounded. Previously, the average time spent on KakaoTalk had been stabilizing at lower levels. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the average daily usage time increased by only about 10 seconds. In contrast, after the KakaoTalk update, the time spent on the Friends Tab and Now Tab-both of which faced heavy criticism-increased by 10% compared to the third quarter average.