Instagram is a photo-sharing and social networking service launched in October 2010. It gained wide popularity and established itself as a trend setter by defining / establishing a new genre of social-photo-networking. They recently changed their terms of service which many have interpreted to mean that photographs uploaded to their site could be resold with no compensation to the owner. Reaction has been fast and furious.
“To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.”
After an outburst, the company issued a clarification:
“Our intention in updating the terms was to communicate that we’d like to experiment with innovative advertising that feels appropriate on Instagram. Instead it was interpreted by many that we were going to sell your photos to others without any compensation. This is not true and it is our mistake that this language is confusing. To be clear: it is not our intention to sell your photos. We are working on updated language in the terms to make sure this is clear.”
The clarification casts blame on the reader for not interpreting the original statement correctly. However the statement does seem clear that photographs would be sold without compensation.
it’s time companies stop trying to test-market changes in the terms of service just to see what they can get away with and then claim mea culpa later. Have they no legal advice or do they not understand the impact or have the made a business calculation? None sound good. They are either morons, imbeciles of lunatics.
Opinion expressed on the app store ratings does not bode well.
Leave a Reply