Instagram now sells users photos to advertisers

Facebook’s acquired the photo-sharing website Instagram and has now updated its privacy policy which gives itself the right to sell photos without notifying users.

The terms that were included by Instagram are as follows:

“We may share your information as well as information from tools like cookies, log files, and device identifiers and location data with organisations that help us provide the service to you… (and) third-party advertising partners.”

It later on continued:

“To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.”

Although the photos will belong to users and privacy restrictions will not be altered, that will not be enough to prevent/stop Instagram from selling the photos to advertisers to recommend a product to another users.

Facebook is no stranger to privacy issues that has been raised time and time again and many people questioned about their privacy ever since Facebook bought Instagram in April for $1 Billion, but everytime Facebook alters its privacy policy, there is always a backlash.

There are a lack of proper opt-out options within the terms and conditions which has seen the complete Facebook business model drawing a lot of criticism as of late. As of now, the only way you can opt out is by deleting your account before the 16th January.

Source: BBC