Remember Don't Carelessly 'take' Content From Instagram

Instagram illustrations (Photo by Georgia de Lotz on Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Instagram social media will tighten the rules for content on its platform. Now users are required to ask the owner's permission, before embedding or reloading (repost) content on Instagram.

Generally, social media users often share content, both videos and photos, to other platforms. But along with the number of content creator accounts that only reload someone's upload, especially without asking the owner's permission first.

That's what Instagram takes into consideration, to start enforcing new policies. Where users are required to ask permission from the content owner, before the photo or video will be shared or embedded on other platforms.

Summarized by The Verge, this policy is based on a case experienced by the weekly magazine Newsweek in facing a lawsuit from photographer Elliot McGucken. Because, the media embed Elliot's photos on their webpage without the permission of the photo owner.

"Instagram's policy requires third parties to obtain permission from content owners. Including ensuring they have a license for uploaded content, if the law requires having a license," explained a spokesperson for Instagram, Wednesday, June 10.

In other words, if users embed Instagram user posts, whether in the form of photos or videos, they must obtain permission from the original uploader. If not, the repost will be subject to a copyright lawsuit.

This is indeed still a matter for Instagram's consideration. Because this social media platform also allows users to grant permission to use content to third parties through (sub-license). This means that third parties can still use embeded content.

"Although our terms (Instagram) allow for sub-licensing, it does not apply to embed APIs on our platform," he added.

Regarding copyright issues, Instagram advises anyone who wants to re-upload or repost content to first ask for permission from the owner, via Direct Message (DM). This minimizes the possibility of other parties taking pictures or video content without the owner's permission.

If the content uploaded to social media does not want other people to 'grab' it, users can set their content page to be private and not open to the public. This means that any content or activity on the account will be locked, for anyone who has not joined or is Followed Back by the account owner.