Instagram’s new policy allows them to sell your photos

Instagram’s new policy allows them to sell your photos:
InstagramInstagram just announced their updated intellectual property policy which will take effect on January 16, 2013. Under this new policy, you are giving the company the right to sell your photos for commercial purposes without your consent or even paying you a single cent.
Let the outcry begin. Sucks right? Here’s the text under Rights that’s been getting quite the attention:

Some or all of the Service may be supported by advertising revenue. 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. If you are under the age of eighteen (18), or under any other applicable age of majority, you represent that at least one of your parents or legal guardians has also agreed to this provision (and the use of your name, likeness, username, and/or photos (along with any associated metadata)) on your behalf.

As mentioned, the new terms will take effect on January 16 next year so there’s still time to opt out from their service and delete your account if you wish to do so. Deleting your account after that date may just grant Facebook/Instagram the irrevocable rights to your content.
It’s not explicitly mentioned but it also doesn’t say that deleting your account will terminate any rights Facebook have over it. All it says is:

Upon termination, all licenses and other rights granted to you in these Terms of Use will immediately cease.

This policy change is giving a lot of Instagram users a big reason to quit the service. Google’s Picasa and Yahoo!’s Flickr also have limited right to photos uploaded by users but not for commercial purposes but only for promotion to use within the service.
[CNET]


Comments