Instagram rattled no shortage of users this week with the release of a widely misunderstood revamp of its privacy policy and terms of service.
With all changes taking effect in thirty days, speculation soon mounted that Instagram was trying to pull the wool over users’ eyes by surreptitiously capturing ownership rights to uploaded and shared photos.
But Instagram is setting the record straight today with a message directly from Kevin Systrom, the co-founder of Instagram. The overall message? Instagram doesn’t own your stuff.
“I’m writing this today,” Systrom says, “to let you know we’re listening and to commit to you that we will be doing more to answer your questions, fix any mistakes, and eliminate the confusion. As we review your feedback and stories in the press, we’re going to modify specific parts of the terms to make it more clear what will happen with your photos.”
Perhaps the most important revelation for users came in the following admission from Systrom:
Users own their content and Instagram does not claim any ownership rights over your photos. Nothing about this has changed. We respect that there are creative artists and hobbyists alike that pour their heart into creating beautiful photos, and we respect that your photos are your photos. Period.
So, with Instagram making this clear statement about user rights, do you feel better about the revised privacy policy and terms of service? Please weigh in with a thought or comment below.