Inappropriate way of sending locations is used

The Signal app currently uses the following method of sharing a user's location, after the user has selected a location on the in-app map.

Load Google Map.
Wait for Google Map to finish loading.
Take snapshot of Google Map.
Remove Google Map and replace it with its snapshot.
Once the user hits send, send this snapshot as an image.

This is implemented in the following snippet:

Signal-Android/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/location/SignalMapView.java

Lines 77 to 96 in 55af6ca

    
           public static ListenableFuture<Bitmap> snapshot(final LatLng place, @NonNull final MapView mapView) { 
        
             final SettableFuture<Bitmap> future = new SettableFuture<>(); 
        
             mapView.onCreate(null); 
        
             mapView.onResume(); 
        
             mapView.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE); 
        
             mapView.getMapAsync(googleMap -> { 
        
               googleMap.moveCamera(CameraUpdateFactory.newLatLngZoom(place, 13)); 
        
               googleMap.addMarker(new MarkerOptions().position(place)); 
        
               googleMap.setBuildingsEnabled(true); 
        
               googleMap.setMapType(GoogleMap.MAP_TYPE_NORMAL); 
        
               googleMap.getUiSettings().setAllGesturesEnabled(false); 
        
               googleMap.setOnMapLoadedCallback(() -> googleMap.snapshot(bitmap -> { 
        
                 future.set(bitmap); 
        
                 mapView.setVisibility(View.GONE); 
        
                 mapView.onPause(); 
        
                 mapView.onDestroy(); 
        
               })); 
        
             });

The two issues are:

1.-4. is an inappropriate way of generating a snapshot. It is better to use a lite mode map instead, because this implements exactly what is needed (non-interactive snapshot of a map).
- An instance in which the current implementation is inappropriate is when onMapLoaded and onSnapshotReady have not yet been called, but the activity hosting the map is destroyed. In this case, the activity's onDestroy method must call the map's onDestroy method (which is not implemented). Lite mode maps do not expect lifecycle methods to be called, except for onCreate.
- In fact, Signal currently forgets to call a few of the lifecycle methods. See Call all lifecycle methods on snapshot mapView #13008.
- Additional info: this is also related to Unable to share location on Android #12723 (comment), because microG does not implement GoogleMap.OnMapLoadedCallback correctly (Implement GoogleMap.OnMapLoadedCallback correctly microg/GmsCore#1960).
⁠5. is in violation of the contract of the snapshot API, and by extension likely also of the terms of usage of the Google Maps API.

Note: Images of the map must not be transmitted to your servers, or otherwise used outside of the application. If you need to send a map to another application or user, send data that allows them to reconstruct the map for the new user instead of a snapshot.

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

@fynngodau

Just discovered the feature today (potentially a very useful feature). Then I understood it uses google map... to transmit a screenshot??

I share the technical concerns expressed by @fynngodau here: why send a screenshot when coordinates would be enough? On which I would add a privacy concern: would it be possible to use alternative privacy-friendly apps like OSM?

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

This issue has been closed due to inactivity.

Bad bot! That the signal team seem to have different priorities hopefully doesn't mean this will never be fixed.

I really wish that this problem will be solved soon!!

Signal should simply get the coordinates from GPS and send them via a geo: link. The user receiving that link can then decide which app to use with the geo: intent. No need for Google Maps at all.

This really seems like the best idea.

Signal should simply get the coordinates from GPS and send them via a geo: link. The user receiving that link can then decide which app to use with the geo: intent. No need for Google Maps at all.

On the other hand: it is helpful for sighted users to have visual imagery of a map location; a standalone geo: URI alone might not provide that.

On the other hand: it is helpful for sighted users to have visual imagery of a map location; a standalone geo: URI alone might not provide that.

True, but since sharing the sent location with a map provider is a privacy issue, the preview feature should at best be a n opt-in preference, not the default.

On the other hand: it is helpful for sighted users to have visual imagery of a map location; a standalone geo: URI alone might not provide that.

True, but since sharing the sent location with a map provider is a privacy issue, the preview feature should at best be a n opt-in preference, not the default.

After spending some time thinking about it, it makes sense to me that the app has to connect out to retrieve a map image from a remote service, because that data -- that evolves on a continuous basis, for example businesses, road layouts, etc -- is not going to ship inside the app with today's mobile network / map data size tradeoffs.

Also, it could be an option for every recipient to make a decision about whether to display the sender's location as a map preview. However, given that Signal supports large-ish group sizes, a single sender causing n (where n could easily be greater than 10) recipients to reveal their location to a remote map service, means we should probably prefer for the sender -- precisely 1 user -- to choose.

I do think your suggestion that it could be opt-in is reasonable. I would suggest perhaps a prompt-on-first-share, with a choice of user selections from:

Always allow map previews when I share my location.
Allow map previews when I share my location within this conversation.
Ask whether to provide a map preview every time I share my location.
Only send geo: URIs when I share my location.

An orthogonal issue is: what map preview providers are supported (currently, AFAICT, this is Google Maps only -- however others could be added).

@jayaddison

Just jumping in with a user-perspective: I am using /e/OS, which has microG enabled - the map preview works without the classic google maps invocation. But the link which gets generated is a google maps link.

What my recipient gets, is a map picture that suggests its a MapLibre location (no one know the difference between map providers and navigation apps) and a link to maps.google.com

I'd say a geo: link as default would be a good start and a user selection for if a preview should get generated, like suggested by @jayaddison makes sense to me.

I'm impressed, that this topic is open since 2023

This feature doesn't work at all for me, as I am on LineageOS without Google Play Services, which is disappointing.

Many privacy focused users like the encryption of signal but do not have Google Play Services installed making. It impossible to easily send a pin. Dylan Barlowe Abel BBA - Accounting This Email is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed and may conta in confidential and privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use that a person other than the addressee makes of this communication is prohibited and any reliance or decisions made based on it, are the responsibility of such pers on. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and destroy all cop ies of this Email. Sent from Proton Mail for Android.

…

-------- Original Message --------

On Tuesday, 06/02/26 at 08:32 Hamish Mcintyre-Bhatty ***@***.***> wrote: **hamishmb** left a comment (signalapp/Signal-Android#13006) This feature doesn't work at all for me, as I am on LineageOS without Google Play Services, which is disappointing. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe. Triage notifications, keep track of coding agent tasks and review pull requests on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS and Android. Download it today! You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

Would this be related to the fact that Signal recognises geo URIs as phone numbers and not geo URIs? I second the others that the users should decide what mapping app to use, not Signal.

Yes. What it comes down to is a user who does not have Google Play Services should still be able to send their location easily as the signal app can just query the device for coordinates and append those onto any link the user selects for mapping apps. Dylan Barlowe Abel BBA - Accounting This Email is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed and may conta in confidential and privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use that a person other than the addressee makes of this communication is prohibited and any reliance or decisions made based on it, are the responsibility of such pers on. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and destroy all cop ies of this Email. Sent from Proton Mail for Android.

…

-------- Original Message --------

On Thursday, 06/11/26 at 17:12 Borden ***@***.***> wrote: **bordenc** left a comment (signalapp/Signal-Android#13006) Would this be related to the fact that Signal recognises geo URIs as phone numbers and not geo URIs? I second the others that the users should decide what mapping app to use, not Signal. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe. Triage notifications, keep track of coding agent tasks and review pull requests on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS and Android. Download it today! You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

I would greatly appreciate a way of easily sending the location without google maps. geo URI could be a possibility.
Drawback: one could only send the current position (which might be off). If you want to send a different position the proposed solution doesn't work, right!?

Side note: Signal currently doesn't turn geo URIs into clickable links. Someone opened a PR for that. But Signal closed it for now:
#14838
Would be great if Signal would implement it :)

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	public static ListenableFuture<Bitmap> snapshot(final LatLng place, @NonNull final MapView mapView) {
	final SettableFuture<Bitmap> future = new SettableFuture<>();
	mapView.onCreate(null);
	mapView.onResume();

	mapView.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);

	mapView.getMapAsync(googleMap -> {
	googleMap.moveCamera(CameraUpdateFactory.newLatLngZoom(place, 13));
	googleMap.addMarker(new MarkerOptions().position(place));
	googleMap.setBuildingsEnabled(true);
	googleMap.setMapType(GoogleMap.MAP_TYPE_NORMAL);
	googleMap.getUiSettings().setAllGesturesEnabled(false);
	googleMap.setOnMapLoadedCallback(() -> googleMap.snapshot(bitmap -> {
	future.set(bitmap);
	mapView.setVisibility(View.GONE);
	mapView.onPause();
	mapView.onDestroy();
	}));
	});

Inappropriate way of sending locations is used #13006

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stale commented on Sep 10, 2023

fynngodau commented on Sep 10, 2023

ggdupont commented on Sep 11, 2023

stale commented on Nov 10, 2023

fynngodau commented on Nov 10, 2023

stale commented on Jan 9, 2024

fynngodau commented on Jan 9, 2024

stale commented on Jan 21, 2024

fynngodau commented on Jan 21, 2024

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hamishmb commented on Jun 2, 2026

dylanbabel commented on Jun 2, 2026

bordenc commented on Jun 11, 2026

dylanbabel commented on Jun 12, 2026

joe-123 commented on Sep 29, 2026

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