vista tecnologica
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A blog commenting on news in technology and documenting my ambition to work in the field.
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(Source: charlierose.com)
A Few Words on the Acquisition of Instagram by Facebook
I woke up to this post this morning by Jenna Wortham saying Facebook had acquired Instagram for $1 Billion.
My initial response was that my jaw-dropped: 1 Billion? It was only a month ago that estimated valuations were half that, and not long before that Instagram was still running on $7.5 Million funding. So in a matter of a few months, Instagram has gone from a team of 10 people working in Twitter’s old conference room to being acquired for a billions dollars. Jesus.
Don’t get me wrong: I think Facebook is an extremely capable company. I admire Mark Zuckerberg’s ability to run it so well. But I just can’t help but think that in the long run, this is going to ruin the Instagram experience. As a photographer and appreciator of aesthetics, I loved that Instagram was the one social network where people told stories of their lives 100% visually. When I went to NYC, I documented my favorite moments (and views) on Instagram. When I went home for spring break, Instagram’s photo filters helped me illustrate how wonderful it was to be home. There was something quaint, beautiful and intimate about the service. It enabled people to tell share their life moments artistically.
I think part of the reason why I’m disappointed that they sold so early is because I knew how small the Instagram team was. This knowledge perpetuated the intimacy of the service and served as a model for a startup in my favorite stage - successful and growing, but with the team minimal and tightly-knit. They were growing fast (in users) but taking their time growing their team. It was a great startup success story. I suppose you could argue that their acquisition is a culmination of just how successful they are. But I’m going to miss the old idea of Instagram as a small team of workers devoted to minimalism and simplicity. I hope they can remain a bastion of this simplicity in their new 3,000+ person company.
Is Pinterest setting up its users for big legal problems?
Some troubling aspects of Pinterest’s Terms of Use detailed in this blog post. Apparently, Pinterest’s main appeal, its sharing of content that users all recognize and love, is really just a huge shift of liability on Pinterest’s userbase. All copyright infringement, unauthorized replication of copyrighted material, and posting of images, merchandise, etc. on Pinterest basically sets the user up for a shitstorm of corporate backlash. Detailed here:
You acknowledge and agree that you are solely responsible for all Member Content that you make available through the Site, Application and Services. Accordingly, you represent and warrant that: (i) you either are the sole and exclusive owner of all Member Content that you make available through the Site, Application and Services or you have all rights, licenses, consents and releases that are necessary to grant to Cold Brew Labs the rights in such Member Content, as contemplated under these Terms; and (ii) neither the Member Content nor your posting, uploading, publication, submission or transmittal of the Member Content or Cold Brew Labs’ use of the Member Content (or any portion thereof) on, through or by means of the Site, Application and the Services will infringe, misappropriate or violate a third party’s patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, moral rights or other proprietary or intellectual property rights, or rights of publicity or privacy, or result in the violation of any applicable law or regulation.
Oh. So the majority of the appeal of your site is based on illegal replication that you’re blaming on the user. Cool.
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold Cold Brew Labs, its officers, directors, employees and agents, harmless from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable legal and accounting fees, arising out of or in any way connected with (i) your access to or use of the Site, Application, Services or Site Content, (ii) your Member Content, or (iii) your violation of these Terms.
So wait. Not only is the blame on the users, but if for some reason Pinterest’s crackpot terms are assailed legally because of something you did, you are the one who is going to pay their legal fees. Seems fair.
I’m not a Pinterest user and now I definitely don’t intend to become one.
