Instagram: Not our intention to sell your photos

Following massive public outcry, Instagram says it will delete a new policy that had some users crying foul.

In a Monday announcement, Instagram said it had the right to use and/or sell your photos to third-party vendors without informing you, or paying you. 

Part of the new terms and conditions read:

"Some or all of the Service may be supported by advertising revenue. To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you."

On Tuesday, Instagram issued a new statement saying it "is not our intention to sell your photos."

"We do not have plans for anything like this and, because of that, we’re going to remove the language that raised the question," the company said in the statement.

According to CNet, the change would have effectively turned Instagram (owned by Facebook) into the world's largest stock photography agency. 

"It's asking people to agree to unspecified future commercial use of their photos," Kurt Opsahl, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told CNet. "That makes it challenging for someone to give informed consent to that deal."

That ultimately meant that any photos you posted — of your vacation, your dog, your meal or even of your kid — could end up in an advertisement created by any third-party vendor offering to pay for the images. Photos taken of or by users under the age of 18 could still be used because a parent technically has to agree to allow their child to use the service. 

Users' only "opt-out" option had been to delete your account before Jan. 16. 

If you still plan to delete your account, Wired has provided a step-by-step guide for downloading your photos and re-uploading them to a different photo sharing service.