After a lengthy campaign by ASMP (in conjunction with NPPA and other creator rights organizations) and in a big win for photographers and all visual creators who use Instagram, today the company announced a new option for the user to prevent embedding of their images on third-party articles and blog posts. This additional option is welcome for those photographers who wish to have the choice. For step by step instructions to shut off embedding, and a short video showing how to do it on your mobile device, keep reading.
On April 17, 2021, ASMP General Counsel Thomas Maddrey sent a letter (signed by NPPA and five other organizations) to Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg informing them of the rampant problem of third-parties using the embedding feature to display works without user permission. This was specifically noted in a pair of court cases, Sinclair v. Ziff-Davis and McGucken v. Newsweek. (Links to ASMP Articles). After the uproar, Instagram was forced to respond saying that it was never their intention to grant a sublicense via the embedding feature, which was claimed by multiple third-parties.
Now, finally, Instagram has acceded to what ASMP and other organizations asked of them in the April letter; that users be able to choose whether to allow embedding of their works, just like other platforms (like YouTube) allowed.
We commend Instagram on their inclusion of this feature, and are proud of ASMP’s advocacy work for more than nine months on achieving this result from one of the largest social media platforms in the world. ASMP also commends the efforts of NPPA in this campaign and its ultimate goals.
To shut off embedding in your Instagram account:
On Android or iPhone:
- Tap your profile picture (or the person silhouette) in the bottom right to go to your profile.
- Tap the three lines in the top right, then click “Settings”
- Top “Account” then tap “Embeds”
- Toggle the button next to “Allow people to embed your posts or profile on other websites”
On Instagram.com on your computer:
- Click your profile picture in the top right corner, then click “Settings”
- Click “Privacy and Security”
- Below “Embeds” click to uncheck the box next to “Allow people to embed your posts or profile on other websites”
To read all of ASMP’s articles about this issue, check the links below:
https://www.asmp.org/copyright/asmp-response-to-instagram-ruling-and-what-you-can-do-today/
https://www.asmp.org/advocacy/letter-to-instagram-from-asmp-and-seven-other-visual-creators-groups/