At the beginning of this month, it was reported that the closed beta version of the Telegram messenger for the iOS mobile platform is testing the chat function with people nearby. Now, network sources report that Telegram developers are finishing testing a new feature and it will soon become available to users of the standard version of the popular messenger.
In addition to the ability to write to people nearby, users will be able to connect to thematic groups that are tied to a specific location. Currently, the number of chats with geolocation is steadily growing. Users located at a distance of 100 meters to several kilometers can join such groups.
To get into the list of geochats, the administrator of the group needs to specify a specific location in the settings. After saving the changes, the created chat will be moved to the geochat section and will receive a public status, and nearby people will be able to connect to it. Users who join a chat via a link will be able to see the chat's location in the chat description, which was specified by the administrator.
Another function of geochats shows a list of people who are in close proximity to the user who has entered the corresponding section. Other users accessing the geochat section at that moment will be able to see you, as well as other people viewing the list of public conversations. It is worth noting that with the introduction of the new feature, privacy and anonymity will be preserved. In order for another user to be able to see you nearby, you need to go to the geochat section yourself, and if you do not do this, your location will not be disclosed to other people.
Source: 3dnews.ru