April 19, 2014 - 10:45 AMT
Facebook rolling out Nearby Friends feature in U.S.

Facebook is rolling out a new Nearby Friends feature in the U.S., which alerts users when a friend is close by, Digital Spy said.

When switched on, the option reveals how many miles away the person is, until you chose to share your precise location for a meet-up.

The feature is optional and users can choose whether friends, close friends, or a specific friend can see how close they are and for a set period of time.

All users must have Nearby Friends switched on to see who is nearby.

"When Nearby Friends is on, you can see when your friends are travelling if they're also using this feature and sharing with you," Facebook said in an announcement. "You'll be able to see the city or neighbourhood they are in, including on their profile." Nearby Friends will be available to Android and iPhone handsets in the U.S. over the coming weeks.

Photo: AP