Location-tracking app Zenly shutting down

“Time to say goodbye,” read a notification to all users of the app Tuesday morning. The notification said the platform would shut down in 59 days.

It also urged users to switch to the app Snap Map, operated by Snap Inc, which bought Zenly in 2017.

Zenly is used by many Vietnamese who want to track the location of their friends of family members. It has been among the most downloaded apps here for years.

It is currently Vietnam’s sixth most downloaded iOS social media app and ninth on Android.

Zenly, launched in 2014, is one of the best performing apps in Asia and Europe, with 160 million downloads and 35 million active users, according to a report by Data.ai earlier this year.

The app has caused controversy for using key personal data such as location, contacts, micro and camera, all of which are at risk of being leaked.

Some users have admitted to installing Zenly secretly on someone else’s phone to covertly track that person.

Rumors of a Zenly shutdown have been circulating since September, when Snap Inc said it would undergo restructuring – including letting go of 20% of its staff.