So…let’s talk about Instagram, including the LATEST December 20, 2012 advertising policy retraction. I’m sure that you knew I was going to blog about this. I hope that my words and thoughts resonate with you and generate discussion as the social media arena works its way through this bump in Instagram’s road.
Earlier this week, Instagram announced that it would be changing its Privacy Policy and Terms of Service and that the change would be effective on January 16, 2013. This notice was prominently displayed on the Instagram app and on other online networks. It was pretty hard to avoid it if you opened the app on your mobile device. Instagram was straight up with its users. Instead of quietly unrolling a new policy, they put the policy, with ample notice, right in front of our eyes. Ever since they announced the change, I have been unable to avoid the notice that comes up each time I open the app. Instagram wanted us to read it.
I am pretty sure that I heard the social media world come to a screeching halt when Instagram’s announcement about the updates were made.
People were infuriated. Users responded with outrage. Some people deleted their accounts, perhaps forever losing special photos. National Geographic, widely respected for extremely high quality photographs, is of notable mention here. Their account has 650K+ followers and on December 18, 2012, they put up an image saying that they were suspending new posts to Instagram because they were concerned about the new Terms of Use. Essentially, they went on a photography hiatus. Kim Kardashian, Instagram’s most followed user with 5.7M followers, tweeted that she needed to review Instagram’s
new policy and that she didn’t think that it was fair.
Personally, I think that it was completely appropriate to have some concerns. Essentially, this initial policy that Instagram put forth stated that it had a right to sell our photography for advertising, without giving credit or even notice to the user, which Instagram later denied. There was no way to opt out of this policy or to tell Instagram that we did not want our photos included in this advertising plan. The only way to get around it was to leave the network. I didn’t really worry about Instagram using most of my images for advertising. Maybe I was underestimating my photography (and Instagram’s selections) but I just didn’t see them using an image that I took of a martini glass, the sky, or my salad for advertising. If they had wanted to, I actually don’t think I would have had a problem with it. If I thought there was an issue, I would have watermarked my images. However, would I have wanted them using a photo of my face or my dog’s face for advertising? I don’t think so. Those photos are much more sentimental and I would have wanted to keep those images a speck more private. As it is, I don’t really post images of my family on Instagram so they were in the clear. There are a few images of my Grandma and me so I might have rethought posting images of humans (friends, family, myself, etc.). If Instagram really wanted my photo of my latest manicure, though, they could have had it. You might notice that I am speaking in the past tense. That is because Instagram JUST released a new Terms of Use and Privacy Policy that reverts to the language that they originally used in 2010 with regards to advertising.
However, many people already deleted their accounts in, what I consider to be, a premature knee-jerk reaction. Instagram made a statement and made it clear to us. Two days later, they responded by saying that they were going to address users’ concerns and clarify confusion. They sent a signal that they were definitely listening. Isn’t that the way social media, and communication in general, should work? Yes, they are a business. Yes, they are monstrous. Let’s also remember that Instagram 
is only just over two years old. The business is a baby (even though they are now owned by Facebook) and they are learning. They are learning how to push the envelope and they are figuring out how far is too far. I think that the Instagram team is learning a very large lesson here.
I don’t think that Instagram tried to do anything sneaky, as a lot of people are claiming. They are a business. They want to monetize. We all knew that they were going to make money at some point, right? We use their free app. We use their free filters. They store and share our photos for free. That is not a lucrative business plan. I’m sure that the co-founders of Instagram did not create the app based on the idea that it would be volunteer work. Of course they want to make money. HOW they make money is a different story, though.
Instagram never promised to be free forever. They either have to generate revenue off of our photos, off of advertising, or off of our money. I think that there would have been outrage with any suggested alterations simply because people don’t like change. We’ve seen this happen many times when social networks have made noticeable progression. Either the social network backs down and works to appease its users, as I strongly think that Instagram is doing, or people get used to the change.
January 16, 2013 is somewhat far away when it comes to social media, which is when the new policies will become effective. There is a lot of time for users to think about what they want to do going forward and I genuinely don’t see any cause for alarm. Instagram listened to the users and has reverted to its original terms of service for advertising. People might still be angry with the whole issue but, as far as I’m concerned, this is the way things now work in the online space. Changes will be proposed, people will react and then the business can decide its next course of action.
I think that we all need to keep calm when things like this arise. I did not think that Instagram would allow a mass exodus and that is obvious with their updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, released only a few moments ago. They did not work hard to 
build a network of over 100 million users only to lose them. Facebook did not buy Instagram for a billion dollars to have it implode. I never believed that they were going to self-destruct. They stated that they were going to address their users’ concerns and they did just that.
What are your thoughts about the Instagram debacle? Are you going to delete your account? Did people make a big deal out of nothing? What do you think of the NEW Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, released on December 20, 2012? I’d love to hear your comments so please feel free to chime in below.
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