Instagram policy at center of new debate

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) -  If you're one of the 100 million people using Instagram to share photos, your pictures may not be your own anymore.

Instagram's privacy policy is at the center of a new debate. The debate stems around whether or not your photos you take using Instagram can be sold.

Instagram just updated its terms of service and is giving itself permission to sell your photos to advertisers.

On Instagram's website, it says it's a fast, beautiful and fun way to share your photos with friends and family. 
But the photo app site is making a lot of headlines after new attention to its privacy policy.

"Instagram has always had the right to use your information. It's the change in the language that has now got on a lot of peoples radar," said Duncan Alney with Firebelly Marketing.

Alney is the president of Firebelly Marketing in Broad Ripple. He specializes in social media consulting and strategy development. Alney said this news means millions of people already using Instagram are affected.
"You're agreeing to the terms of service and if you have an issue with that and this point in time there really is no recourse," he said.

Let's say you took a picture using your smartphone of the main library using Instagram; If officials from the library liked the photo, they can pay Instagram without your consent. That means Instagram can sell any pictures you take if you use their app.  If a company wants to buy them, including putting the photos in advertisements they can do that.

"It's not just that they can use it; but you have no understanding of when it's being used," Alney said, "Your image can be used for an affinity that you have and interest that you have that's presented to your friend group."
And with anything you post on social media sites, including Instagram, Aleny said play it safe with what he calls the MJB rule.

"You've got to be careful of what you say and do. Whatever you are doing in front of your mom, in from of a judge, or on a a billboard. That will keep you out of harms way with most things."

The only way to can keep your pictures from being used by a second party is not use the app.