Do you use Instagram?

[Guest DaveW]

See:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20767537

DaveW

[annie]

i have never used it, but my daughter does. i forwarded the info from PFB magazine to her. i think they have a date to opt out by and then their pics cannot be used.... not sure though!

[Black Pearl]

Saw that - I'll kill my account if they go ahead with the changes but I've a feeling they might back down as there's been an outcry from every user, tech source and news programme.

[colinb]

some how I just can't see FB/instagram committing marketing suicide and a re-think must surely be on the way?

Good way to get your company name a little free world wide publicity, they do say even bad publicity is good publicity

[annie]

you are so probably correct there colin..

[Guest DaveW]

They seem to be backtracking a bit now, but some claim it may not have just damaged Instagram, but Facebook too because they obtained them before the change, so it was with their knowledge and consent. Even the new clarification worries some:-

"The distinction between employing users' profile photos and actions in conjunction with promotions by a business, and employing them as part of an ad is a fine one, and may not sit well with users.

Further, while Instagram says in its TOS that it doesn't claim ownership of any content users post on or through it, users grant to it a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable worldwide license to use such content. However, users can control who can view certain of their content and activities as described in the company's privacy policy."

"Granting Instagram a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable worldwide license is essentially giving Instagram all your rights to a photograph," Yasha Heidari, managing partner at the Heidari Power Law Group, told TechNewsWorld. "It is an extremely broad provision that should be unnecessary."

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/76899.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/technology/facebook-responds-to-anger-over-proposed-instagram-changes.html?_r=0

DaveW

[Phil]

You learn something new every day. I didn't realise Instagram was produced by Farcebook... App now ditched!

[Black Pearl]

It was started by an independent team then FaceBook bought it earlier in the year for $1b - at a guess they're desperate to see some return for all that cash.

I'm not going to knee-jerk react to their changes but will wait to see what the outcome is before Jan16th. If they look like they're going to try and sell images on (doesn't look that way as of now) I'll be tempted to pull the account but otherwise I'm happy to continue using one of the very best apps on the iPhone and THE best image sharing app.

[annie]

is it an app for iphones then BP....?

[Black Pearl]

Started life as an iPhone only app then went to Android because of the demand.

It has tens of millions of users so FB need to be careful what they do or that investment will vanish.

[Guest DaveW]

Most tech companies grow by acquiring other smaller companies having technology or customers they want. See for Facebook:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Facebook

Another view on why they bought Instagram:-

http://gigaom.com/2012/04/09/here-is-why-did-facebook-bought-instagram/

DaveW

[Guest DaveW]

See:-

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/facebook-stocks-lower-instagram-loses-180342579.html

DaveW