[Infowarrior] - Facebook Destroys Instagram

[Richard Forno]

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2012/12/facebook-destroys-instagram/

Facebook Destroys Instagram

Over the past few years, I have been fairly critical about Facebook — starting first with its absurd valuation, and then moving to its abuse of privacy and data mining about its users, its frequent unannounced changes to its terms, and the general disdain with which it treats its users.

Although I was an Instagram fan, once FB bought the company, I stopped using the app (there are lots of alternatives).

This morning, I was reading the latest terms of service for the photo app — and they are nothing short of insane.

Facebook will be adding advertisements into Instagram’s application — and you and your kids may be part of them. From the NYT Bits blog, here are the changes in Instagram’s privacy policy that you should be aware of:

1. Instagram can share information about its users with Facebook, its parent company, as well as outside affiliates and advertisers.

2. You could star in an advertisement — without your knowledge.

3. Underage users are not exempt.

4. Ads may not be labeled as ads.

5. Want to opt out? Delete your account.

Number five turns out to be a great idea — this morning, I deleted my Instagram account. At this rate, its only a matter of time before Facebook gets deleted . . .


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Just because i'm near the punchbowl doesn't mean I'm also drinking from it.