A Clear Picture of Your Privacy
It can be helpful to understand exactly what information others receive, depending on your settings.
The layers of privacy
Your visibility to others depends on two settings working together:
- Visibility mode (who can see: hidden, friends, or friends & groups)
- Precision level (how specific: city through planet earth)
What a friend sees
If your location visibility is set to "Friends Only" and your precision is "Region":
- ✅ They see your region name (e.g., "Illinois")
- ✅ They see your timezone (if timezone visibility allows it)
- ✅ They can see you on the Map (positioned at a generalized regional location)
- ✅ They may see an approximate distance to you
- ❌ They do not see your city, street, or exact coordinates
What a group member sees
If your location visibility is "Friends & Groups" with a group-specific precision of "Country":
- ✅ They see your country name (e.g., "United States")
- ✅ They can see you on the Map at a country-level position
- ❌ They do not see anything more specific than country
When nothing is visible
If your location visibility is "Hidden":
- ❌ Nobody sees your location, regardless of precision
- Your profile still shows your username and avatar to friends
Checking your own visibility
Visit your Profile page to see exactly what your display location looks like. The "Display Location" field shows the exact name others will see for your location.