Faced with a user backlash against its updated terms of service, Instagram on Thursday backed down and said it was reverting to its prior language that dealt with how user photos could be used in conjunction with advertisements. The new terms of service caused an uproar because they told users that they must “agree that a business may pay Instagram to display your photos in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions without any compensation to you.” Under the original terms, which made no explicit mention of licensing out photos for business advertisements, users needed to “agree that Instagram may place… advertising and promotions on the Service or on, about, or in conjunction with your Content.” In announcing the decision to go back to the older terms, Instagram cofounder Kevin Systrom said that in the future the company will “take the time to complete our plans, and then come back to our users and explain how we would like for our advertising business to work” rather than springing changes on users through terms of service updates.
Instagram backs down, reverts to older terms of service
Published Dec 21st, 2012 8:32AM EST
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Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.
