Instagram Apologizes for, Backtracks on New Privacy Policy

Won't sell your photos

On Monday, Instagram announced changes in its privacy policy, declaring it now had the right to sell users' pictures, without payment or notification, to companies and organizations for advertisements or other purposes. The photo-sharing service gave its members until January to delete their accounts to opt out of the new policy, but it seems users called their bluff. In less than 24 hours, thousands of angry users reacted and revolted by creating a #BoycottInstagram trending topic on Twitter. Now, the photo-sharing site has changed their tune: In a blog post titled "Thank You, We're Listening," Chief Executive Kevin Systrom said, "To be clear: it is not our intention to sell your photos. We do not have plans for [your photos to be part of an advertisement] and because of that we’re going to remove the language that raised the question. Instagram users own their content and Instagram does not claim any ownership rights over your photos. Nothing about this has changed." (NBC News)

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