Instagram License Change to Allow it to Sell Your Images

[Rachel Hollander]

I don't know if anyone uses Instagram (I don't) but I saw this article about a change to its terms of service which will allow it to sell any image on its site for profit without paying the photographer.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57559710-38/instagram-says-it-now-has-the-right-to-sell-your-photos/

[Doug West]

Looks like they backed down.

Doug

[Jerry van Dijk]

Instagram have announced to the press that they will not follow through with this policy. Apparently (and not surprisingly) loads of members cancelled their subscription.

[Barry Ekstrand]

Along with past faux pas by other social media sites (Facebook for example), this highlights again the difficulties these sites have in growing revenues out of a business model that starts out as a free service.

It seems to me that people, especially the young folks, are attracted to the ability to post for free but aren't so interested when it costs them $$. These sites are trying to respond to the investment community by finding other streams of revenue associated with the service but then manage to end up alienating many of the users. Unfortunately the cycle continues as the investors are still looking for a return.

It's all a cautionary tale to me - I have gotten to the point that I think it is best to consider that control may be lost at some point on what I post or upload. As a result I limit my interaction through them. IMHO, YMMV.

Barry