Instagram Decides To Scrap Update To Advertising Section Of Terms Of Service

Instagram does some insta-backpedaling.

Instagram does some insta-backpedaling.

The backpedaling continues at Instagram, the Facebook-owned photo-sharing service that ticked off a lot of users this week with some controversial changes to its Terms of Service and its Privacy Policy. It eventually agreed to change some of the language to quell concerns, but has now decided to just go back to the way things were.

“[I]t became clear that we failed to fulfill what I consider one of our most important responsibilities, to communicate our intentions clearly,” wrote co-founder Kevin Systrom. “I am sorry for that, and I am focused on making it right.”

Citing users’ concerns about how the proposed changes to the advertising section of the Terms of Service would affect their photo streams, Systrom declared that “we are reverting this advertising section to the original version that has been in effect since we launched the service in October 2010.”

Here is a link to the updated version of the updated Terms of Service.

“Going forward, rather than obtain permission from you to introduce possible advertising products we have not yet developed, we are going to take the time to complete our plans, and then come back to our users and explain how we would like for our advertising business to work,” explains Systrom, who reiterated that Instagram does not have, nor ever had, any intention to sell users’ photos.

Our inner teen would like to believe that it was the vague threat of losing Kim Kardashian, professional shill for shady debit cards and illegally marketed toning sneakers, along with her 5 million followers that led Instagram to see the light. Of course, our inner teen can eat pizza four nights a week and still has a full head of hair, so we don’t listen to him.

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