Oh Instagram,
I have a conundrum. I use you to experiment with taking photos and document things, in pictures. I love how I’ve been able to follow creatives who don’t use Twitter like Megan Hess, Megan Morton and Maryann Talia Pau. I love seeing the lives of others, in pictures, where the “thousand words in one picture” exceed or surpass Twitter’s 140 characters.
There’s a quote in a Jon Bon Jovi song that goes, “I wish that I was a camera sometimes/ so I could take your picture with my mind/ put in a frame for all to see / how beautiful you really are to me.”
Instagram, with your filters and sharing features, you helped do that for me. I saw how beautiful the world was with its graffitti, wrought iron gates and joyous brunches – through the eyes of others.
But now you legal speak that you can use and sell my photos without consent or credit.
It goes against the spirit with which I’ve been sharing. I can’t understand why you don’t simply use the data at your disposal to connect brands with influential IG-ers. Credit your community.
I probably won’t delete my account but I will be removing my photos. Not really because I don’t want you to publish my pics, more because I didn’t get formal sign-off from those I photographed (although as best I can, I get verbal) for their image to be used for commercial purposes.
I hope you listen to your community and update that legal speak.
In the meantime, I’m going to need somewhere to save all of my random instagram photos, I’ll start with a varied selection here:
All photos from my personal Instagram account.
20/12/12 UPDATE: Instagram have published a response to outcries like this one from it’s community, everything might be ok afterall, check it out: Thank you, and we’re listening
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I have really liked Instagram and the connections I’ve made with other creatives & lovely people has been the best part. I have twitter & Facebook but I’ve always found them a little cold. I liked the positive kind of it too. But I’m with you, the new T&C’s have officially put an end to it. Hopefully there is something else to kind of replace it.
Jessie – I love your instagram! And well-put, it does have a lovely community feel to it – have you seen Instagram’s response? I’ve updated the blog post with a link.
This is such a shame. I suspected Instagram must have been implementing something like this when I saw their announcements about the new T&C. This is exactly the reason I don’t post photos to Facebook but I am especially sad that I won’t be able to share via Instagram, now. Not only that, but I’ll also be missing out from all of those photos from around the world.
Thanks for your comment Katie – fingers-crossed it’ll all turn out ok – I’ve updated the blog post with a response from Instagram seeking to address the outcry from its community.
Great post, Cheryl – I suspect I’ll be going the same route which is a shame, because I do love IG for sharing and viewing. Also, nice use of those Bon Jovi lyrics, we frankly don’t see enough of that kind of thing on style blogs
Thanks Michelle – I’ve enjoyed following your work through Instagram so it’ll be a shame to lose that. However have you seen the new Terms of Service? It looks like Instagram have been listening; I’ll update this post with links.
And great to meet a fellow Bon Jovi fan!