17-08-2017

Dutch Design Daily

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By
Ahmet Polat -

Copyright

By 17-08-2017

One Week About Instagram Photography by curator Ahmet Polat

Yesterday we had an interesting insight into subtle censorship issues on the Instagram platform. Because of some of the responses I received, I decided to add some copyright stories today, because we don’t always fully understand how these things work.

Since the beginning of Instagram, several amendments have been made to its copyright clauses, but besides that I also want to take a look at how Instagram users deal with copyright or find ways around it.

“Instagram does not claim ownership of any content that you post on or through the service.” Even though this seems perfectly appropriate, you still sign off on the user right of your work forever, which allows Instagram to show your work anywhere, any time, any place, and other people to repost it. This is the basic premise of social media, but we need to look at some of the consequences.

For example, it means that many companies use this method to find interesting images to make their own page, possibly with your work. Some of those companies are publishers like fashion magazines, galeries or museums and say its part of supporting new talent. You could shrug and say it doesn’t matter. But I want to point out that it does matter.

Companies use Instagram to gain followers. This way they get more attention for their products and services. Normally, a company will pay a photographer to create work for them to publish. This is how it should work, because people should get paid for their work and ideas. Many stories have surfaced online of people who have seen their work used or misused by companies, institutions or platforms. Meanwhile, Instagram is not really involved in clearing up the mess this creates.

However, when it comes to something other than photographs, Instagram tries everything they can to protect the rights of the artist. For example, it has quietly started using technology that automatically detects when copyrighted music is uploaded onto its platform. You can immediately make an appeal, but you have to show that you have the rights or permission to use the music.

I’m not sure, but doesn’t this seem like a double standard. What is the difference, creatively speaking, between an image and a song. What do you think?