Pity poor Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom. This afternoon he was forced by total idiots — his own customers, basically — to make a statement saying that no, he won't be selling your photos to advertisers.
Why "idiots"?
Because almost NOTHING has changed for users of Instagram since they first signed up. And despite this new tweaking of the company's terms of service, almost NOTHING is going to change, too.
These idiots are literally freaking out about nothing.
There's been anger bubbling since we first broke the story on Dec. 12 that Instagram will somehow use your photos as ads for its various clients. (Instagram is owned by Facebook, which has more than 100,000 advertisers drooling at the thought of their brands being attached to your awesome picture of brunch.)
The new terms of service do allow Instagram to place ads next to the photos and content you upload to Instagram. But check out the OLD terms of service. Those rules say:
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.
In other words, if you're using Instagram, you already agreed to to ads in your photo stream months ago. Nothing substantive is changing.
Jeez, idiots: READ THE FINE PRINT.
Disclosure: Author owns Facebook stock.
SEE ALSO: FACEBOOK CONFIRMS: Ads Are Coming To Instagram
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