Instagram Photo Maps as a Form of Travel Bragging

August 28, 2012 at 5:02 PM | by JetSetCD | Comments (2)

Last week, social photo-sharing network Instagram released Version 3 of their crazy popular app, rife with new features and improved functionality. One such addition is the "Photo Map," which automates populates a Google Map with the images you have taken and geo-tagged. This means that, last week, your Instagram newsfeed liked look like a listing of who's adding how many photo to where on their map.

Instantly the traveler bragging and jealousy began. "Who in my network has the most diverse Photo Map?" "Who has the least?" Poor newcomers to Instagram probably felt more than a little miffed to view their maps, sans all the fun locations they'd hit earlier in the year and shared prior to becoming wrapped up in the addictive app.

Well, we're here to say it's all going to be okay. As with any new, cool feature, the interest will quickly peak, be discussed (as we're doing now), and wane faster than you can cruise down the Danube.

Still, even though Photo Maps have caused the resurgence of the green monster of envy amongst travelers, we see one very big positive: Photo Maps prevent Instagrammers from flat-out lying about their travels. It's one thing to upload a shot of a picturesque gorge somewhere deep in the Amazon, but it's another thing to have actually been there and be sharing something original of your own. As we're all aware, Instagram is full of users who simply post pretty pictures, even though the idea is that of unique images. If someone didn't take the photo at that spot, with their smartphone, then there won't be a way to geo-tag there either. BLAM—accountability.

Maybe we're being too stuck up about Instagram, but we just love it so dang much. Peace, ya'll.

[Image: Jaunted]

Jaunted

Select a Destination:

Travel Photography / Instagram / Social Media / Maps / Google Maps / → All Tags