Image: Jon Keller and me, the new I Team!
Jon Keller interviewed me about the uproar over Instagram's plans to update their terms of use. We talked about what's changing, alternative photo sharing apps like Flikr, and what people on Social Media are saying. We also talked about what makes Instagram special.
Here's the interview that aired, 12/18, at 5:40 PM to CBS Boston WBZ TV News.
Here's a promo you might have seen on TV:
Jon Keller, WBZ TV News:
This popular web photo sharing site is saying, we can make money off your pictures, but you can't have any! How the public is fighting back!
Instagram New Updated Terms Of Use:
These Terms of Use are effective on January 16, 2013.
Excerpt:
Rights
1. Instagram does not claim ownership of any Content that you post on or through the Service. Instead, you hereby grant to Instagram a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide license to use the Content that you post on or through the Service, except that you can control who can view certain of your Content and activities on the Service as described in the Service's Privacy Policy, available here: http://instagram.com/legal/privacy/.
2. 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.
3. You acknowledge that we may not always identify paid services, sponsored content, or commercial communications as such.
Instagram Web Display Now:
Imagined Instagram Web Display With Ads:
Twitter comments:
Instagram backlash is Flickr's gain vrge.co/VNoh6X (/@verge cc @stevegarfield)
— Brett Petersel (@Brett) December 18, 2012
@stevegarfield Yeah, the new ToS have brought me back to Flickr where I'll be fine without the retro filters.
— Sonia (@liteleek) December 18, 2012
@stevegarfield Instagram will die if they keep making these kinds of mistakes.
— Doug Luberts (@dougluberts) December 18, 2012
@stevegarfield just more corporations taking away the rights of creatives
— Rick Macomber (@boston_camera) December 18, 2012
@stevegarfield Great for brands - bad for users who care about the use of their images (which may be a smaller pond than we think).
— Jane Quigley (@jquig99) December 18, 2012
@stevegarfield As a parent they have made it a network my kids are now no longer on which sucks.
— C.C. Chapman (@cc_chapman) December 18, 2012
Image: Jon Keller and me!
Elsewhere:
The Verge: Instagram backlash is Flickr's gain
Update 12/18 5:02 PM:
Thank you, and we’re listening:
The language we proposed also raised question about whether your photos can be part of an advertisement. We do not have plans for anything like this and because of that we’re going to remove the language that raised the question. Our main goal is to avoid things likes advertising banners you see in other apps that would hurt the Instagram user experience. Instead, we want to create meaningful ways to help you discover new and interesting accounts and content while building a self-sustaining business at the same time.I'll wait to see their changes, then decide if they listened.
Update 12/19:
Great read. Instagram didn’t get the tone wrong:
"...this is completely wrong. The Ts and Cs were absolutely clear, even if their content was controversial.Absolutely the best writing on what is happening.
By contrast, the ‘clarification’ is slippery, mealy-mouthed and contradictory."