Instagram Wants To Sell Users' Photos Without Notice 313
DavidGilbert99 writes "Many Instagram users have reacted angrily to a proposed change to the apps terms of service by owner Facebook, which would give the social network 'perpetual' rights to all photos on Instagram, allowing it to sell the photos to advertisers without notice — or payment to the user. The new policy will come into effect on 16 January, just four months after Facebook completed its $1bn acquisition of Instagram. It states that Facebook has a right to distribute any content posted on Instagram without paying the user royalties:"
Also worth reading Declan McCullagh's take on it.
Get over it already (Score:5, Informative)
Yes, this is a shitty thing to do. So don't use Instagram or Facebook or any of the other "services" that are constantly trying to screw you for their profit. We got along just fine for a very long time without Facebook or Instagram. Time to grow up and move on.
Re:One has to wonder. . . (Score:4, Informative)
These are your pictures. You own them. No corporation has the right to use them without your permission just because they are holding them.
Yes they do, you agreed to it in the terms-of-service
Re:Out of Dodge (Score:5, Informative)
Model rights (Score:5, Informative)
This is despicable of course. And Instagram/Facebook needs to clearly and loudly (e.g. a click through notice when you login, and every day later until the 16th) explains this change in the ToS, and explains what it means (in plain English, not lawyer speak). But I bet they don't.
Anyway, any pictures with identifiable images of people in them could be a problem for whichever company purchases the image. Because of model rights you know? If an ad is run which has a person who is clearly identifiable, then in most places a model release is required. And I bet you that Instragram doesn't require that photographers have people sign model releases...
Oh, and the blog post [instagram.com]:
A bit of a lie really. The key point from the various articles is:
http://instagram.com/about/legal/terms/updated/ [instagram.com]
You can express your disapproval of these changes by emailing support@instagram.com [mailto].
McCullagh's wife works for Google with options (Score:3, Informative)
Oh look, Instagram is the new Twitpic (Score:4, Informative)
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/05/12/1935205/twitpic-will-sell-your-photos-but-no-cash-for-you [slashdot.org]
Re:One has to wonder. . . (Score:4, Informative)
Putting pictures on the Internet are publishing them. By uploading the picture on instagram or facebook you are in essence publishing the pictures.
So then it's your fault.
Usage license != model release (Score:5, Informative)
You're both correct. (Score:5, Informative)
They won't own them, as the Terms make explicitly clear. At the same time, you "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".
So, yes, you still own your photos, and yes, they can do anything they want with them.
Re:Model rights (Score:5, Informative)
Actually their terms covers them...
Under Basic Terms (7, 8)...
and under Rights (4, 8)...
Basically they are saying that all the pictures you've posted are supposed to be free of any issues. If they are not, they are not responsible... you are.
Basically, if they get sued, you get left holding the bag.
So not only they can make money off of you, they give you all the risk.
Re:Out of Dodge (Score:4, Informative)