With Instagram’s recent acquisition by Facebook, there have been some changes to the privacy policy that may including trying to sell your photos.
Many users feared this acquisition would bring up the same issues with the privacy policy, as there have been with Facebook. Recently, Instagram made updates to the interface and privacy policy. The update lead users to believe their personal photos could be sold and used in advertisements. Although the change isn’t set to take effect until January 16th, once loyal fans have begun deleting their accounts as retaliation and to avoid allowing the app to sell your photos. Even celebrities have taken to social media to voice their frustration with the changes and have urged people to boycott the app.
Instagram’s co-founder, Kevin Systrom, has since tried to clarify the confusion. According to the article, “Instagram: We’re Not Going to Sell Your Photos,” by Rheana Murray, Systrom announced that the app is not claiming user photos and the privacy policy hasn’t changed. “Nothing about this has changed. We respect that there are creative artists and hobbyists alike that pour their heart into creating beautiful photos, and we respect that your photos are your photos. Period.” Systrom blamed the ambiguity on the poorly written policy and that Instagram’s advertising is merely evolving and looking for innovative ways to communicate to their audience and generate revenue.
If confusing language in the privacy policy continues to cause backlash, more Instagram users may opt for alternative photo sharing apps. With an abundance of photo filter services on the market, Instagram may need to reconsider the changes to the privacy policy.
Read more about Instagram’s privacy conflict in an excerpt from the article.
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“The company blamed the confusion — sparked when Instagram updated its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy on Monday — on sloppy wording.
Particularly, a section where Instagram says users must agree that “a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos … in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you,” riled users.
The company says it will change the terms, which were slated to go into effect January 16.
“Our intention in updating the terms was to communicate that we’d like to experiment with innovative advertising that feels appropriate on Instagram,” Systrom wrote.
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