World Headlines
Instagram Updates Terms Of Use
By Katherine Noland
Dec 20, 2012 - 2:30:06 PM

UNITED STATES—The popular phone app, Instagram, has created a stir in the social networking world by updating their terms of use, under which lies the possibility of uploaded images to be used in advertisements.

The popular phone app, Instagram.

The widely used photo sharing service is an app available on smartphones for taking and uploading photos while being able to creatively alter them through different filtering effects and upload them to social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

With millions of users, Instagram has stated that although they are still owners of content uploaded, once photos are uploaded to their account the service has license to use the content. Users can still control what is posted and deleted, and choose who they wish to see their photos.

The website currently states, “Some of the Instagram Services are supported by advertising revenue and may display advertisements and promotions, and you hereby agree that Instagram may place such advertising and promotions on the Instagram Services or on, about, or in conjunction with your Content. The manner, mode and extent of such advertising and promotions are subject to change without specific notice to you.” According to Instagram, the updates to these terms are currently being reworded and will be in effect on January 16, 2013.

The idea of companies paying the service to use photos for advertisements is not favored by most users, including one with the most followers Kim Kardashian. On December 18, the reality-star tweeted, “I really love instagram :-(. I need to review this new policy. I don’t think its fair.” With nearly 5.7 followers, Kardashian is the most followed Instagram user, followed by Justin Beiber who is the second most followed and Barack Obama who is the third.