In December, 2012 Instagram announced a change to its terms of services. The change, that was mandatory of all users, stated:
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
With fears that your images, profiles and all information could be sold with little or no compensation to you, many criticised the move. A number of high profile Instagram users tweeted about their anger:
As a model and more importantly as a human being I am horrified to read @Instagram‘s new policy. Please RT – http://t.co/k45KeRjL
— Coco Rocha (@cocorocha) December 18, 2012
Trust me, deleting your Instagram account is satisfying#itsthelittlethings
— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) December 18, 2012
I guess that no photo filter can hide what instagram’s new terms of use will mean for all of its users #fail
— Nina Garcia (@ninagarcia) December 18, 2012
Many advocates for internet privacy also condemned the change. Epic.org (Electronic Privacy Information Centre) highlighted how the changes in Instagram’s Terms of Service were prohibited by a 2011 consent order with the Federal Trade Commission, according to EPIC the order ‘prohibits [a] company from changing privacy settings without the affirmative consent of users or misrepresenting the privacy or security of users’ personal information’. Also, they claimed ‘Using an individual’s name or likeness for commercial purposes without consent is also prohibited in most states’.
According to Verdict.com, one privacy advocate highlighted the ambiguous treatment of minors under this change, especially as the minor is prohibited to enter into any form of contract. Verdict.com was quoted the advocate sating ‘if a minor can’t be bound to a contract in the first place, that same teen cannot agree to waive his or her rights.’
After the backlash, Instagram announced that the change of wording in their terms of service will not go ahead. Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom stated:
Because of the feedback we have heard from you, we are reverting this advertising section to the original version that has been in effect since we launched the service in October 2010
