Why I’m not going to ASW13 & am Getting rid of Instagram

I got a lot of messages asking for meetings at ASW13.  For the first time since about 2006, I am going to miss an ASW.  The reason I am not going is that I have a new employee starting tomorrow, I have a new client launching during the show and I have been traveling non stop (and been to Vegas twice) within the last couple of months.  I need a break and to focus on training my new team member as well as doing a proper launch, not one from a show.  With that said, I am definitely going to miss everyone and I highly recommend you attend.

Affiliate Summit is one of the shows I make an effort to never miss and always recommend.  You meet a lot of smart people, bad players and hear how they make themselves sound good or ethical like they won’t just steal from you and you can meet that unicorn partner who adds value, is not a coupon or adware site, doesn’t use toolbars, reminderware, loyaltyware, PPV, CPV, etc… to steal from you.  Each time I go I have met at least one of these and it has made the trip absolutely worth it.  If you look through the Affiliate Summit section of this site, you’ll find packing guides and everything else you’ll need for the show.

There are still tickets available for Affiliate Summit, but they will sell out fast, so click here to buy yours if you haven’t yet.  You will definitely be missing an amazing time that can grow your business if you don’t go.  Click here.

So why am I talking about Instagram when I’ve never mentioned them before and rarely use them?  I read this article about Facebook’s final acquisition of Instagram (On Cnet today http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57559710-38/instagram-says-it-now-has-the-right-to-sell-your-photos/)and that they plan on selling all of your photos, without having to give credit, you a commission or even let you know.  With that said, they are giving you a service you love for free and need to make money.  At the same time, here are a few things that should scare you.

Parents – If you have vacations pictures with instagram of your kids, people can buy your kids running on the beach, in bathing suits and do whatever they want with them.  You have no say in how they are used, which companies can use them and your kids will receive no royalties if their images are used in ads, etc… when they normally may have earned money.

Artists – This is how you make your money.  You sell prints.  Instagram has an amazing community and that is why it became attractive.  Now companies and people can purchase your livelyhood and sell it off, give it away for free and not even have to give you credit.  Your company and your work is now a free for all.  Sucks, doesn’t it.

College and High School Students (and some adults) – You’re about to go look for a job.  You have pictures at mardi gras which are hidden or private or not posted publicly on Facebook to protect you while you interview.  All of the sudden these are now able to be purchased and used however the person wants.  Think about cyber bullying.  Someone can buy these pictures of someone in a company competing for a position, blast them all over the web and destroy your chances of getting the job.  Companies can buy them and place them on their websites which can become public and searchable and now you are stuck with these images representing you, even though you did your best by keeping all of these pictures and photos private.

There are a lot of other things that I can see going wrong with Facebook/Instagram selling off photos which you should think about.  I am going to delete my account, even though I don’t have anything in it, just because I don’t like what they are doing.  You should at least give the artist credit, allow the person to disapprove their images being used in ads, etc… and you should be able to block stalkers and people who could cause you harm from buying your images.  Those images could be the thing that puts them over the edge and you in actual physical danger.  These are just my opinions from reading the article and I am not a lawyer, etc… so these are opinions and not facts, but it scared me enough to write this post and delete my account.