Instagram Updates Privacy Policy, Will Share User Data With Facebook
Instagram has updated its terms of service and privacy policy to mesh better with its new parent, Facebook. The photo-sharing social network points out a few key updates:
- “Nothing has changed about your photos’ ownership or who can see them.
- Our updated privacy policy helps Instagram function more easily as part of Facebook by being able to share info between the two groups. This means we can do things like fight spam more effectively, detect system and reliability problems more quickly, and build better features for everyone by understanding how Instagram is used.
- Our updated terms of service help protect you, and prevent spam and abuse as we grow.”
The new privacy policy notes that Instagram can share user content and information with “businesses that are legally part of the same group of companies that Instagram is part of, or that become part of that group (‘Affiliates’). Affiliates may use this information to help provide, understand, and improve the Service (including by providing analytics) and Affiliates’ own services (including by providing you with better and more relevant experiences). But these Affiliates will honor the choices you make about who can see your photos.”
These changes aren’t too surprising, given the unsurprising desire for more information sharing between the two companies. The updates will go into effect on Jan. 16, 2013. (Mashable, TechCrunch, Instagram)
