Goodbye Instagram, hello Flickr

instagram So yesterday my Facebook feed exploded with this CNET article highlighting the changes in Instagram’s policies that basically say “it has the perpetual right to sell users’ photographs without payment or notification” (quoted from article).

This sounds a lot like the past issues with Facebook and their policies on photos and content you post on your timeline, which a lot of people complained about–and skimming a few articles, it looks like when Facebook bought Instagram a while back, there were already people worrying about something like this happening to Instagram (I was blissfully ignorant). Well, it did happen; although this morning when I opened my Instagram account, there was a note about how your photos are still your photos (the CNET article on that is here).

My immediate thought when I read their message was, “well, you know how people reacted to Facebook’s policies on content, why did you even try to pull that off here too?” This is in the middle of me deleting my Instagram photos one by one (which is not a walk in the park–every 20th photo I delete, I get rate limited, which is understandable for creating content, but a bit odd for removing content). I decided that since most of my photos I do send on to my Flickr account, and with the update to the Flickr iPhone app that adds filters, I’d just stop Instagramming (albeit the Flickr filters kind of underwhelmed me at first try). (I didn’t want to remove my account completely, mostly so that I can keep the above photo up ;) haha.)

All I can say is, this move by Facebook/Instagram couldn’t have come at a worse time for them. With limited Twitter support and the new Flickr app, this extra bit with their policies–though quickly responded to–just isn’t doing them any favors. A few friends of mine have already removed their accounts. And my deleted photos aren’t coming back.

This Geek chick post was published on Wednesday December 19, 2012, and tagged under , , , , , .

About the author

Me

Hello, I'm Angela. I cycle through a bunch of obsessions: web, reading, writing, gaming, and traveling. I've been making websites since 1997 before turning it into a profession in 2004. You might know me from Scripts.Indisguise.Org where I used to dabble a little with linkware toys, or Yahoo! Southeast Asia, but nowadays I'm the technical lead for HungryGoWhere where I am always hungry, since I end up looking at food all day. I love meeting interesting people and have excellent conversation, so leave me a comment or find me on any of the places below:

4 comments

  • Jane Desu said:
    February 10, 2013 20:00

    This is one example of the disadvantages of using free services on the internet. Since they offer their service for free, we need to abide by their T&C in return. They still need money in order to keep their service running but selling your photo without permission is too much.

    I still want to use Instagram though. I guess, people should start adding watermarks to their photos. :D

  • Ate said:
    December 24, 2012 16:46

    So paano? Talagang ganun na yung Instagram? Do I NEED to remove my instagram photos? O hindi na, basta stop posting lang?

    Hehe! Di ko na binasa yung article. Tamad ako eh. :p

  • Kya said:
    December 20, 2012 21:19

    Wow, that is absolutely terrible. :/ It is pretty disgusting that a service can decide to just update their policy in that way and expect to make money on the content we provide (I guess in a sense Facebook already does that). Very annoying.

    I had no idea the Flickr app had filters as well. I feel that my primary connection to Instagram is the filters. Of course the same (or similar) could be done in Photoshop, but sometimes it is nice to just play the easy way. I will have to check out the new Flickr app!

    • Angela replied;
      December 20, 2012 21:59

      I just did my first shot at updating a filtered photo to my Flickr using the app, but I don’t think the Flickr filters at the moment are very flattering to food photos, haha. Twice I’ve tried, and have never really found a good filter (I didn’t post the first one I attempted).

      Still, I hope you find the Flickr app interesting enough :)

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