Instagram Lawsuit
October 24, 2022
With more than 1.4 billion users, Instagram won this year’s title of the world’s fourth most active social media platform. Due to its popularity, people don’t really stop to question its security. This has become a major issue.
Instagram has been sued a multitude of times for not protecting its users’ personal information. The most recent lawsuit was in 2020 when the company went under a thorough investigation for exposing children to unsafe cyber behavior. Instagram gave children between the ages of 13 and 17 the opportunity to publicize both their email address and phone number, meaning that they can share their information to thousands of people if they have a public or business account.
Giving children the opportunity to post their personal information is not an ethical decision. At this stage in life, 13-17 years of age, children are very vulnerable since they can easily be manipulated or persuaded to make bad decisions for multiple reasons. Children and teenagers face peer pressure and the desire to fit in on a daily basis, which can become very overwhelming.
When about 25 students around campus were asked the question “did you read the terms and conditions when you downloaded Instagram?” we received one cumulative response, “no”.
“I might have skimmed through it but I did not stop and read the terms and conditions,” said Sydney Tyler, COMPASS sophomore.
As young adults it is important that we learn to stop and read when we are signed away our rights no matter what type of document or application it’s on. Although the privacy settings on the app have not changed we must consider all negative repercussions when using social media. Disclosing your information on the internet can have negative consequences which is why we should learn to stop to think and read before we make decisions like this.
Gabriel Martinez • Dec 9, 2022 at 9:15 am
On October 24th 2022, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. I am very surprised to find this information. I had no idea that not reading the terms and conditions carefully would subject you to signing away on things you may have not wanted. I agree that disclosing personal information on the internet is a bad thing. Many things have discouraged me from downloading and making an instagram account but this will only further stop me. I hope instagram will finally learn their lesson after all these lawsuits. I like this article because it highlights an important topic that may otherwise be unknown to many. Another important factor this brings up is needing to read more carefully on what we sign. Not only for instagram but other contracts that people may try to get you to sign. And this is just my opinion but I do not think people under the age of 15 should be allowed to use social media because they may not fully understand the consequences of it. And also in my opinion maybe one day when it is one hundred percent secured may it be worth using. After all I’ve gone this long without it. And people should just honestly be careful at what they post and could possibly give it a second thought before posting.
Angelique Rios • Nov 18, 2022 at 7:45 pm
On October 24, 2022, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. The article is about how social media isn’t as safe as it’s meant to be, and that Instagram isn’t an exception. Tere Quesada states that “Instagram gave children between the ages of 13 and 17 the opportunity to publicize both their email address and phone number, meaning that they can share their information with thousands of people if they have a public or business account”. I found this so crazy because this lawsuit happened two years ago and kids were having their information leaked like emails and phone numbers. I believe when this information is shown, a person would be more prone to receiving spam calls and spam emails which is a drag to go through. Another thing I would like to talk about is that I agreed when she stated that “As young adults it is important that we learn to stop and read when we have signed away our rights no matter what type of document or application it’s on”. Growing up is all about mistakes but if we take our time reading the terms and conditions we will be safer when signing up for stuff. Reading this article reminded me that although media is part of our life that doesn’t mean we should fully trust it.
Elle Lundahl • Nov 18, 2022 at 4:17 pm
The article emphasizes the unsafe conditions and opportunities that the social media platform, Instagram, exposes minors to. Furthermore, it mentions the terms and conditions notification that many people agree to, without reading. This led me to recognize that younger generations tend to carelessly glance over this important document, agreeing to whatever contract entails. In everyday life, I think many highschoolers have experienced this generational difference first-hand. While older generations tend to pay closer attention to what they’re signing, younger generations often sign in order to move on as quickly as possible. Connecting back to the social media platforms, it is extremely important to consider what information we want to be made public on the internet. Adolescents, especially, should be careful with what they post and say on social media platforms, like Instagram.
Rylee Noel • Nov 18, 2022 at 11:07 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit” The article expresses the dangers of social media and how it can affect someone’s life. The author explains how anyone can download instagram and can sign up so easily that it can become dangerous. Also how instagram has been sued many times for many reasons and how kids are being exposed to “unsafe cyber behavior”. With the support of the data collected within the school it shows us how no kid looked into the terms and conditions of their privacy. This proves the fact that it’s easier for kids to be exposed to this unsafe behavior because they may have not read what could help keep them more private and protected. I like how the author explains the vulnerability of the ages 13-17. With the information of how children are more easily persuaded because of their “desire to fit” is a great example and one of the biggest reasons why kids and teens do most of the things they do. After all of the authors explaining how children are less aware and more vulnerable, she shows us how we can use this as a life lesson for when we become adults.
Aubrey Camp • Nov 18, 2022 at 10:44 am
The article mentions Instagram, having 1.4 billion users, is the world’s fourth most active social media platform. It also brings attention to people putting trust in Instagram and not questioning its security. I like how this article expresses what instagram has been sued for in the past to explain this isn’t a one time occurrence. The article explains how Instagram has been sued many times and was most recently sued in 2020 for exposing children to unsafe cyber behavior. It also mentions that Instagram was allowing children from age 13-17 to share their email addresses and phone numbers to thousands of people if they had public accounts. She mentions that giving children the opportunity to share their personal information is unsafe because children are vulnerable and easy to manipulate. I like how in the article she also mentioned how she went around campus and asked other students if they looked through Instagram’s terms and conditions, and many responded with no. She mentions how as young adults we are now reaching the age where we began to sign papers and legal documents, people need to read the terms and conditions and know what they are approving people to do with their information
Jamie Do • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:56 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. The article addresses the dangers and lack of security on social media platforms that are most harmful to young children between the ages of 13 and 17. The article recalls a recent lawsuit against Instagram because they were exposing children to unsafe cyber behavior and giving them a platform to publicize their personal information. After reading this article, it was quite shocking to learn how this large and popular social media platform was actually secretly dangerous to many young children. I think people have become too trustful in these apps and have never tried to consider the negative effects. I like that you mentioned how children between these ages are vulnerable and easily manipulated by peer pressure. This is definitely a serious problem because children are more likely to follow the relevant trends. I also agreed with the quote that you included. Even outside of Instagram, I do not think I have ever read the terms and conditions of any app. The terms and conditions are always incredibly lengthy, so it would just be easier to blindly agree without actually having to read it. Your article has put me into a new perspective and is now making me rethink my choices before signing up for anything without reading the terms and conditions. I appreciate and applaud you for bringing this topic up and suggesting safer options when using social media. Thank you for bringing awareness and allowing everyone to understand how important it is to use social media safely.
Hawking Crouther • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:04 pm
November 17 2022
Dear Tere Quezada
On October 24, 2022, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled, “Instagram Lawsuit.” In this writing, Quezada addresses the blindness many children and teenagers have towards the security of Instagram. This is an important thing that more people, especially highschool students, should be aware of. Quezada completed a survey where 25 students were asked if they read the terms and conditions when downloading instagram n which they all answered no. This is a clear demonstration of the lack of information that we personally have on these social media platforms. People don’t know what these companies have access too and what information of yours is being shared unknowingly. This is a topic that should be more acknowledged to ensure the privacy of people. Quezada describes the most recent lawsuit that instagram went through where they gave children the opportunity to post their personal information. As she says this is a decision that children shouldn’t be given the chance to make. I would like to add that nowadays, it is more common for children to act as if they are more mature or involved with adult situations. This would only lead them to feel almost obligated to release their information.
Sincerely,
Hawking Crouther
Justin Kawamoto • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:56 pm
On October 24, 2022, Tere Quezada wrote the article ¨Instagram Lawsuit¨. This article talks about Instagram’s lack of security measures for their social media app considering the high population of young children on the app. I learned that the high presence comes from mainly thirteen to seventeen-year-old students or other young people. Through this article, I also learned how the app allows for the publication of one’s mobile number and email address. As children are very impressionable and deceivable, this ability to showcase private information should not be as accessible. In addition, social media is generally not the best to put on impressionable minds that are generally concerned with fitting in and conforming to social norms. Since this isn’t the only Instagram Lawsuit, I wonder how safe this app is for children and what other security measures the app could put in place to protect children. The starkest discovery I also learned from this article was how few people read the terms and conditions. I can also relate as I find the Terms and Conditions page to be boring and a waste of time but I believe it’s good to showcase that maybe it might be time to start reviewing the terms before signing away. If more people were aware, maybe problems could be alleviated much easier. Thank you for giving me a new view of Instagram and its features.
Lucia Thomas • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:48 pm
On October 24, 2022 Tere Quezada wrote an article entitled “Instagram Lawsuit.” The article talks about the security of Instagram and how Instagram has been sued multiple times for exposing private information. Social Media is a huge asset of our lives and allows us to express ourselves to the people who follow us. I agree with what Quezada said when she states “Giving children the opportunity to post their personal information is not an ethical decision,” because they are only children, so they are more vulnerable since they can be easily manipulated or persuaded to do something that is wrong. Tere also talks about how when teenagers download instagram, they don’t read the terms and conditions presented by instagram which is bad because we are signing our rights away and we need to make sure those rights are as protected as they can be. I also agree with Quezada when she stated how “Disclosing your information on the internet can have negative consequences..” because we often don’t consider how downloading a social media app can lead to serious consequences such as our information being released to the public. I found this article to be interesting as this is a topic that is not talked about as much as it should be and is a very prevalent topic as we use social media in our everyday lives.
Natalie Ceja • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:39 pm
This article was eye-opening since Instagram is a very popular and well known social media app that we use and check mostly everyday and I had no idea that the app was sued not once but three times. As stated in the article “ With more than 1.4 billion users, Instagram won this year’s title of the world’s fourth most active social media platform.” This evidence supports how Instagram is used all over the world but why does no one talk about how this company has been sued three times for sharing personal information. Do they not care about our safety? Maybe not if they let as young as 13 year olds to post their personal information. She also stated that “… children are very vulnerable since they can easily be manipulated or persuaded to make bad decisions for multiple reasons”. She also goes on and talks about how mostly children and tennagers are peer pressured so they can fit the norm of society. Why is the age restriction so low if they know this information about children and teenagers? This article is very informative since I’ve had Instagram for many years and I knew none of this information and I was unaware of the risk Instagram has to personal information, lack of security and other issues with this social media app. Is Instagram going to do something about this? Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and enlightening me.
Kirk McNagny • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:36 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit” The article mentions that Instagram deceives people of their policies and does not protect the personal information of children on the app. Prior to the article, I was not aware that they didn’t have any safeguards for children and other accounts. I agree with the premise of there being some action taken by Instagram to protect minor user’s data as they don’t have the ability to consent to “signing rights away” as the article suggests. Having personal information on the internet at a young age isn’t always good as they may not know the repercussions of certain sensitive details being public. One question that I would have is where should the line be set in terms of the age requirement to make independent decisions online? Should this number really be 18 until someone can interact with others over the age on the platform? This being said, I do agree with the idea of emphasizing the importance of reading the terms and conditions before using Instagram or any social media for that matter. Understanding what we are allowing companies to do with our data is important because not everything we do or have is something that we want social media platforms to have. Thank you for bringing this important hidden detail to a more broad audience.
alissey fang • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:34 pm
On October 24th , Tere Quezeda wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. The article speaks on the different times instagram has been put on blast for the lack of protection their users have for their personal information, this includes people speaking up on other social media platforms and have even taken to court so it could be dealt with in a more serious manner. Before reading this article I was aware people have issues with instagram, and other platforms but what I didn’t know is how relaxed they actually are when it comes to privacy settings especially for minors. Quezeda states that instagram allows users as young as 13 to publicly share their personal emails and phone number which put them at more risk then they already are just by being on social media. After reading this article, I can now better understand why many parents such as my own hold off on allowing their children to have social media, it is a safety concern and can cause trauma for young adults. I really enjoyed this article, it taught me so much about social media and it’s faults, it was simple and easy to understand, I enjoyed how she asked people questions and but the answers in to give a better understanding, with that being said I would love to see a continuation of the story maybe about why teens choose to have a public of private account.
Nina Mungcal • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:30 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit.” The article talks about the concern over security or lack of security on Instagram, despite it being the fourth most popular social media platform. I did not realize just how many lawsuits have been filed against privacy issues. I was also not aware that Instagram has leaked personal information such as phone numbers and email addresses, which is concerning since many minors use the app. It is eye opening to read that many users from ages 13-17 are more vulnerable to manipulation when making decisions. As an Instagram user myself, it worries me about the safety of my personal information, as I have a public business account. I do agree with the fact that social media is constantly portraying certain influencers as “popular”, some whose actions and looks may negatively influence young children. As for reading the terms and conditions, I found it very relatable, as realistically, very few people take the time to read through all of it. After reading this article, I will continue to educate myself as well as others on the importance of teaching young social media users to read the terms and conditions when signing up for something. After all, our safety is more important than the number of likes and views we see on social media. This article was great, as it educates the reader and is very relevant to issues today.
sophia brown • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:29 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit” The article mentions how Instagram is not protecting their users’ security and personal information and because of this, have faced numerous lawsuits. Especially when it comes to teenagers, they are particularly vulnerable and sometimes unaware of the consequences of sharing their personal information. The article discussed how most people don’t read the terms and conditions that Instagram provides, which makes them unaware that their personal information is not protected. I found this article very interesting because as a teen myself, I also did not read the terms and conditions and was also unaware of this pressing issue. I appreciate how the author provided data taken around campus because it really showcases the ignorance of teens especially and this information communicated to me clearly, that I need to be more careful about the social media platforms that I am a part of. I’m curious to learn more about what the terms and conditions of Instagram explicitly say and in what ways specifically my personal information isn’t being protected. Thank you for educating the Millikan community about this pressing issue.
Sofia Gonzalez • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:28 pm
On October 24, 2022, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. The article discusses the widely unknown insecurity on the app. It mentions that Instagram gives children ages 13-17 the ability to publicize their phone numbers and emails to the over 1.4 billion users. However, many don’t stop to read the terms and conditions before downloading the app. I appreciate the spotlight being turned to this issue. Nearly all of the people I know never do more than skim through the terms and conditions, so bringing this issue to light can serve as a wake-up call to be more aware. Prior to reading this article, I had no idea about the insecurity of Instagram, and I have the app. I praise Quezada for calling attention to this issue on the Corydon, because the information in this article is now accessible to students. I also can’t help but relate to the students Quezada interviewed, as I never stopped to think about if my personal data was being sold elsewhere without me knowing about it. She stated that “it is important to stop and read when we are signing away our rights no matter what type of document or application it’s on,” which is such an important message to spread. Being aware of what may be happening to your information is something that we should all be more concerned about.
Katherine Williams • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:27 pm
I found the topic of privacy issues interesting as I’m a part of the 1.4 billion users on Instagram and I also did not read the terms and conditions when downloading the app. The article mentions Instagram allowing children to make personal information public, and I was wondering about the logistics. Does Instagram have a way of verifying their users age? Do they ask users’ age when signing up at all? When publicizing their accounts, did Instagram as if you’d like to make your personal information public or is it automatic? On the topic of the lawsuit, is it possible to win a case if this information was agreed upon by all users on the app? Although I agree it is unacceptable to expose minors to such a lack of cybersecurity, is Instagram completely to blame or should we take a degree of responsibility for blindly trusting the internet? I was also curious as to how this issue was resolved, as yes from a moral standpoint Instagram is in the wrong, but unfortunately from a technical standpoint it seems as if they can’t be prosecuted. Thank you for enlightening me about my lack of knowledge of social media security, which I’ll pay closer attention to in the future.
Nina Mungcal • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:25 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit.” The article talks about the concern over security or lack of security on Instagram, despite it being the fourth most popular social media platform. I did not realize just how many lawsuits have been filed against privacy issues. I was also not aware that Instagram has leaked personal information such as phone numbers and email addresses, which is concerning since many minors use the app. It is eye opening to read that many users from ages 13-17 are more vulnerable to manipulation when making decisions. As an Instagram user myself, it worries me about the safety of my personal information, as I have a public business account. I do agree with the fact that social media is constantly portraying certain influencers as “popular”, some whose actions and looks may negatively influence young children. As for reading the terms and conditions, I found it very relatable, as realistically, very few people take the time to read through all of it. After reading this article, I will continue to educate myself as well as others on the importance of teaching young social media users to read the terms and conditions when signing up for something. After all, our safety is more important than the number of likes and views we see on social media. This article was great, as it educates the reader and is very relevant to issues today.
Brandon LaFleur • Nov 17, 2022 at 1:24 pm
This article talks about the vulnerability of children and teens today, and also mentions that Instagram has been sued multiple times. The article talks about how very few people read the terms and conditions of apps that they download, it states in the article “When about 25 students around campus were asked the question ‘did you read the terms and conditions when you downloaded Instagram?’ we received one cumulative response, ‘no’.” Prior to reading this article I never really thought about how much of an impact an app could have on my safety. It makes me curious as to what other apps may be publishing my personal information. I agree with many of the people that Quezada interviewed because I have not thought about reading the terms of conditions for apps that I download and use. Many apps have asked for permissions and reading through this article makes me want to read deeper into the permissions that I have given said apps. I appreciate this article because it has opened my eyes to the dangers that many apps may face to me and others, and it has also encouraged me to my privacy by reading the terms of conditions.
Austin Carroll • Nov 17, 2022 at 10:05 am
November 17, 2022
Dear Corydon Editor,
On November 17, Tere Quezada wrote an article about the instagram lawsuit. They cite very interesting information about instagram as a whole. Which is very interesting. The fact that instagram has 1.4 billion users is crazy. The article talks about how the security measure to protect minors on the site is lackluster. The article talks about how minors have and may expose sensitive information about their home. And of their lives. According to the article most people don’t even bother to read the terms and conditions. I would know because I don’t really. Overall it is a very well written article. It tells about the problem and cites evidence backing it. The article talks about how most kids do not read the terms and conditions about security. And how instargram does nothing to keep your info safe. They just about put it out for the world to see. Which was a big problem for YouTube in 2019. They were hit with a big lawsuit over selling the data they gathered from young children on the website. Which caused youtube to change up a lot of things. So that makes me wonder if Instagram will have to do something as drastic.
Sincerely,
Austin Carroll, Grade 11
Maya Ng • Nov 17, 2022 at 10:02 am
On October 24, 2022, Tere Quezada published an article titled, “Instagram Lawsuit”. The article talks about the privacy risks of Instagram especially for teens. This idea is developed by mentioning that Instagram has been sued multiple times for this reason and the fact that no one reads the terms and conditions, which is essentially signing away our rights. I personally tried reading the document when I was younger and new to technology, but after 2 pages of long paragraphs that seemed like common sense, I gave up and just accepted. I think anyone of this generation can relate to never reading the terms and conditions, but thinking about it is pretty concerning that possibly somewhere in that document could be the agreement to something dangerous. But nonetheless, I don’t think most people will start reading the terms and conditions even when informed about the dangers. However, it is very important to cover the idea of privacy online for young people because, as said in the article, they are at most risk of being targeted by predators. I think it’s fine that people in the age range of 13 – 17 have social media as long as they are informed about what to look out for. In the end, this article is very important in informing people about the risks.
Vidafe Taylor • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:50 am
The article mentions that Instagram has exposed young teens from ages 13-15, and given the option to share personal information to groups who may not know how dangerous it really is on the internet. I like that Quezada highlighted the fact that not many people actually read through terms and conditions when signing up for social media sites, which can be detrimental to keeping yourself and your information safe on the web. I’ve never actually taken the time to read through any of the terms and conditions myself, nor have I ever been particularly worried about myself on the web, however knowing that these young teens may be potentially making life changing mistakes by clicking one button doesn’t exactly make me excited for the future of social media technology. I think that this article highlighted the importance of age restrictions on social media really well in the point of the mental vulnerability within young teens. “13-17 years of age, children are very vulnerable since they can easily be manipulated or persuaded to make bad decisions”, This is super important to remember when making decisions regarding personal information in both private and public atmospheres. Quezada got her point across so well, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Ryan Kaven • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:31 am
On October 24, 2022 Tere Quezada wrote an article explaining a situation with a surprisingly relevant app that most people use daily, Instagram. She brings up the fact that 1.4 billion people use Instagram including myself, making it the fourth most popular social media app. As instagram requires no age limit to operate, Tere explains that the app is not a safe environment for teens ages 13-17 years old. She adds on to the idea of false security by bringing up the terms and conditions. Tere asked teens that had Instagram if they read them before logging in, there was one response. No. With this lack of privacy on Instagrams part and the lack of care on the teenagers part, this makes the app conditions not safe whatsoever. In 2020 Instagram had a lawsuit filed against them for exposing users information such as email and their phone numbers. This puts unaware teenagers at risk for unsafe cyber behavior such as cyberbullying and predators. Tere continues on this war for privacy by adding in the known fact that teens and children can be easily manipulated and peer pressured into doing things that may be harmful for their social life and their well being. Tere finishes up by stating that reading the terms and conditions are necessary in order to ensure your and others privacy. Throughout the article more and more had similar thoughts such as Tere Quezada. Although I make sure my privacy is protected by not releasing my personal information, I may be only one of the few that actually cares. With social media becoming more easily targeted to and accessible by younger ages I believe that there is no way to completely protect their privacy. Thank you for your time Tere.
Ashley Oelmann • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:29 am
The article mentions that teens are not reading the terms and conditions given to them and how we should always read “when we are signed away our rights no matter what type of document or or application it’s on.” As an instagram user, I also admit to not reading the terms and conditions, because I trust that because it is popular, it should somewhat secure my personal identity. Reading the article, after reading the lawsuits Instagram has been going through because someone’s personal information was leaked, next time, I would definitely stop and take 5 minutes to read the terms and conditions. Although I do know the horrors of having a social media account, knowing that I am connected to the world as well as my friends and not ‘falling behind’ on the news makes me feel somewhat secure because I know all of the latest tea and hot news. What I am wondering is how Instagram is going to stop minors below 13 from having an instagram account, because in my opinion, it is a little awkward seeing even 5-year- olds posting reels. They are way more vulnerable to the negative side of instagram than teens.
Anandi Patel • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:25 am
his article describes the unethical low user security used in instagrams data. Quezada points out the numerous other instances where instagram had been sued in the past for security concerns.I really enjoyed this article’s line of reasoning as it is clearly stated and flows really well together. She goes on to mention how recently a new feature allows young kids ages 13-17 to share their private email and phone number on their page. This raises cyber security concerns as now the option to show private information to anyone who views your page is very dangerous for young kids who do not know the danger yet. By adding the age group it emphasizes how minor safety is being put at risk and shows how unethical it is to even have this feature for them in the first place. Quezada then goes on to state how younger kids have not learned the same online safety skills that are required when using social media. She places an emphasis on this by providing a quote from someone in that age range stating how they may have skimmed through the terms of service but definitely hadn’t read it. This clearly provided evidence to the claim that many features on instagram are questionable. This article was well written and easy to follow due to the focused topic and obvious line of reasoning.
Samantha Mills • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:23 am
The article discusses security within social media, which I think is an extremely important discussion we should be having this day in age. I agree with everything you say in the article, how people in this age range of 13-17 are easily manipulated and are the ones falling victim to social media’s lack of security as well as how we need to slow down and think of our actions when it comes to signing up for social media. I also l like how you took your own survey on if young people actually read the terms and conditions when signing up for social media. It just goes to show how much these big companies can get away with due to our young age and lack of care. I also like how you provided specific evidence for the case of Instagram being sued, this piece of evidence does a really excellent job at proving your point on social media platforms taking young people’s information. Overall I really enjoyed this article, it spreads a very important message effectively and is very straightforward when coming to describe the negative consequences of social media.
Chris Benitez • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:18 am
This article dives into the discussion about how apps handle our security and privacy, and more specifically the app Instagram. She talks about how there have been many lawsuits and how minors have been exposed to dangerous cyber behavior. This article really starts the discussion on how these apps can take advantage of the user as these Terms of Service they set are strenuously long and nobody in their right mind takes the time to read every line. This makes you wonder what you really are agreeing to when agreeing to the terms of service. What data are they taking from you while you use the app? It makes you wonder what they do with that data and how they protect that information from people with malicious intentions. I think apps like TikTok are fun but there have been increasing privacy issues with rumors of data leaks and selling of data. Also in apps like Facebook have been found selling data and allowing users to be targeted by ads of propaganda. All in all, I like how the author highlights these issues and brings attention to some of the sneaky things these corporations do to expose all users to potential dangers in their app.
Jayden Icasiano • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:16 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. I had no idea that Instagram made such personal information available, thus this post was quite educational and informative. What additional data sources does Instagram have access to? I was also shocked to see that Instagram has been sued numerous times, which makes me doubt their credibility. What were the prior claims against Instagram? According to the article, Instagram permits users under the age of thirteen to publicly share their personal information. What makes that acceptable on the platform? Is there not some kind of age check that stops this? I concur that allowing children to decide who can access their information on Instagram is a risk because it’s impossible to predict what users would do with it. I’ve had instagram for years and wasn’t aware of the risk and concern of personal information and lack of security on this app. Do you think more repercussions and further measures will be taken to guarantee the safety of their users? Should instagram put an age limit to limit kids using the app? Thank you for shining light and informing me on this subject.
Ricardo Guzman • Nov 17, 2022 at 9:10 am
This article discusses the privacy issues that plagues children, and allows them to disclose personal information online, a decision that isn’t wise. In this piece, Quezada uses a very straightforward approach, explaining what Instagram allows users to disclose, the reasons they had been sued previously, the absence of pupil’s reading of Instagram’s terms and conditions, and finally, the message that we have the responsibility to understand an agreement we choose to adhere to, as well as the negative consequences of putting too much information on social media. This approach, and line-of-reasoning, is very easy to follow/understand. The topic discussed in the article is also very relatable to many different people, as a majority of individuals today use social media, and I myself do so without care. The message discussed in this article is an important one, the fact that we must be aware of negative repercussions seemingly hasn’t been said enough. Though repeated for such a long time, many people seem to neglect that sentiment. Thank you for writing about this topic, and talking about a very important message..
Audrey Rodgers • Nov 16, 2022 at 6:02 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. The article discusses the very popular social media platform, Instagram, and how it can be unsafe for minors. The article also mentions how this has caused the company to have some legal issues. It is known that social media platforms tend to not have the best reputation when it comes to protecting users’ personal information. Before reading this article, I never thought about how I don’t thoroughly read through the terms and conditions when I sign up for anything. But, this article proved that most people don’t either. The fact that the majority of people sign up for subscriptions and accounts without reading the terms and conditions is pretty concerning. I also have a few questions. Personally, I don’t read through the terms and conditions because there are so many of them. So, what do you think Instagram could do to make them more readable? Also, do you think Instagram would have fewer legal issues if everyone actually read the conditions? I really loved reading this article and I thought it was really interesting. I think this is something many people should read about. Thank you for bringing awareness to this topic and for making me realize I should go through and read the terms and conditions whenever I sign up for something new!
Daisy • Nov 16, 2022 at 2:51 pm
On October 24, 2022 Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. The article discusses the recent instagram lawsuit and the security risk the app poses to young children and teens. While I had heard about the current lawsuit, I had not taken the time to look into it any further so appreciate that you are helping educate students on this problem that plays a major role in most of our lives. So many young people are on instagram currently, so this is something that has an impact on most if not all of our lives. Asking students if they had read the terms and conditions of instagram was also interesting because it shows just how much trust we put into these apps without a second thought. However I would have also liked to hear from students about how they felt that their information and safety is at risk while using the app and if they would ever consider leaving the app. Overall though I really enjoyed the article and found it to be very informative and interesting. It really made me think twice about the dangers of social media. Thank you for educating me and other students on this important topic.
Jayden • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:49 pm
On October 24th, Tere Quezada wrote an article named “Instagram Lawsuit,” which addresses how the app’s insubstantial privacy and safety policies are putting teens at risk. Although I don’t have the app, this didn’t surprise me much, as I’ve noticed the recent wave of skepticism towards what social media apps do with user data, and I praise Quezada for emphasizing the importance of not blindly downloading an app without understanding the terms and conditions. The most interesting question to ask here is not about the other secret wrongdoings of Instagram, but whether teenagers really care about social media risking their privacy. How many are willing to sacrifice confidentiality for use of the app? Naturally Instagram is in the wrong for deceiving their users, but some of the blame must be placed on the ignorance of their users. Grasping how much our generation cares about this issue will let us to understand to what extent we will allow companies to take advantage of us in the future. How much privacy are we willing to give for popularity?
Andrew Mena • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:39 pm
This article addresses just one of the several lawsuits filed against the popular social media app “Instagram” and its irresponsible handling of its users’ personal information. The lawsuit that Tere decides to describe more in-depth is actually its most recent lawsuit, which claims that Instagram was not properly protecting its users’ personal information by allowing teens between the ages of 13 and 17 to create a public profile which publicizes both their email address and phone number, which is available to anyone that has also downloaded the app. The author describes that giving this choice of sharing such personal information to young adults is unethical, as people around this age are very vulnerable to manipulation and detrimental persuasion, which is only further encouraged by publicing one’s contact information. I also believe that students around my age are more susceptible to our self-consciousness and thus prone to manipulation and persuasion as we hang around with people both in person and online in an effort to achieve a sense of involvement or significance in our lives, and receiving that feeling of significance from someone you may not know at all seems highly unlikely and if anything detrimental to your confidence/mental health. Tere also adds that the dreadfully long terms and conditions that almost all users skim or even skip over completely are a large factor of this misuse of human rights, as she concludes that 100% of the 25 students surveyed confessed that they didn’t read a single word of Instagram’s terms and conditions before signing up to the app. Although this seems like an extremely small number for a survey regarding millikan students considering that our number of those enrolled reach the thousands, I too must also shamefully admit that I ignorantly skimmed over the terms and conditions without a thought and so did my friends when asked the same question, therefore I believe the data gathered from this small survey wouldn’t change that much at all if conducted school-wide. Since I have my account set to private, the situation presented in this article does not really affect me in any way, however it does make me worried for those who unknowingly have their accounts set to public and are prone to literally anyone who may stumble across their page one or another, as I used to be one of these people until my friend showed me how to private my account shortly after. Nonetheless, this is still a huge dilemma for public users following the growing hold that social media has on the human population worldwide, with schools even creating accounts to post events and information that can only be accessed through the platform, bringing more users in who might unknowingly be sharing their personal information. Thank you Tere for shedding light on this issue and allowing Millikan students to be aware of their privacy and hopefully learn how to set their accounts to private.
Jewel Kennedy • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:39 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit” The piece brings more awareness to social media platforms, and specifically Instagram. It starts off by addressing a major problem- the lack of security people have on Instagram. An example used was a lawsuit over a company exposing children to online dangers. I appreciate the emphasis on children getting protection in regards to online platforms because they are especially vulnerable to its dangers. The piece continues by bringing up an alarming reality seen everywhere, even at our school. Twenty-five Millikan students were questioned and their responses confirmed that people are ignorant of the policies they agree to on Instagram. Not only does the data strengthen the argument, but it is unsettling. The last paragraph ends by urging people to act and it has encouraged me to do the same. Overall, the amount of concern shown for this issue and the rhetoric used to persuade individuals to change their ways is commendable. Thank you for creating this article.
Mya Delaney • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:32 pm
I was shocked to find out that Instagram is the world’s fourth most active social media platform! In the article, Quezada brings awareness to the pressing issues of security and ethics in social media. I was completely unaware that Instagram was sued back in 2020 for exposing kids to unsafe cyber behavior. It is appalling. In this day and age, almost everyone in the world has some form of social media, whether it be facebook, snapchat, tiktok, be real, or instagram. Larger and more prominent social media platforms, like Instagram, need to be setting positive examples for their users, not purposefully exposing them to negative behavior. As an Instagram user myself, I am disappointed to hear about this happening, but I am glad that I know about it now. I have a public account, and I know for a fact that I did not read the terms and conditions. I simply hit the check box. In the future, I will definitely make sure to read before I click the “I understand” box. Companies like Instagram need to hold themselves to higher standards because they have so much influence on people, specifically younger kids, in this world. Thank you, Tere Quezada, for bringing awareness to this relevant problem!
Elias Hershfield • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:29 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. This article includes all of the information users of Instagram should know about their privacy and security while utilizing the app. Since Instagram was rated “the world’s fourth most active social media platform”, it can be very common for users to get persuaded into downloading the app to see what it’s about. Most social media apps today usually start off with the “new user” process which includes asking the user their private information such as name, email, and number. But what actually happens with this info ? This question would be answered in the “terms and condition” section. According to the article, when they asked twenty five students around campus if they read the terms and conditions, all of them replied with a solid no. This is proof that most people who use this app do not care about reading the “terms and the conditions” therefore do not know what will happen with the information they are giving the app and can potentially be exposed to cyber behavior by people who they do not know. I am really glad Tere Quezada included this information because it raises concern over people’s privacy when using social media apps. I wish the author would have included ways to prevent being exposed to cyber behavior. Since I am an active user of this app, I would really like to know how to stay safe. Is there an anonymous mode that can be enabled ?
Bennett Hreschuk • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:26 pm
The article revolves around privacy concerns regarding Instagram and all of the lawsuits they have faced as a result of that. I agree with the central idea that everyone, especially those from ages 13-17 need to be very careful about what they put on the internet and how they spread their information. The article also mentions a very important point about how because kids this age are more susceptible to persuasion that putting information like their phone numbers and emails can lead to even more dangerous consequences. Online pirates often seek younger gullible audiences as well as older less technologically inclined people to prey upon because their chances of success are higher. Even with all of that in mind however, I do feel that despite the possible dangers presented as long as Instagram makes it very clear and keeps people aware of these dangers that they personally should not be sued or at fault. Like the article also mentions, almost all kids from this age range do not read the terms and restrictions and thusly should be held responsible themselves due to their lack of action instead of Instagram who gives proper warning.
Gisell Giron • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:26 pm
This article concentrates on the lack of internet safety on behalf of the social media platform Instagram. The author mentions that the main victims of this security breach are between the ages of 13-17. This concerns me because like many of my friends, I am an Instagram user. I have never really stopped to think about how my information is out there for the whole world to see. I created my account when I was around 14 years old and as I grow older I realize how susceptible I was to letting social media platforms such as Instagram, take my information. Who might be wanting to sell and use my information? What is Instagram doing to make their platform safer for those using it? What can I do to prevent my privacy from being breached? The author includes interviews and quotes from students around campus. They were asked if they had read the terms and conditions before downloading Instagram, and this made me realize that I hadn’t even skimmed the terms and conditions. I didn’t know that by skipping the terms and conditions, this would make me vulnerable to the lack of cyber safety going on with Instagram. This problem seems to have been addressed through the lawsuit but has the issue been efficiently rectified? Instagram doesn’t seem to have the best interest of their users in mind. I appreciate that the author explains to the audience that we are not at fault but rather the company.
Claire Wilson • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:25 pm
I love how when she opened up her argument, she praised Instagram and its popularity, then used its achievement against it. Instagram’s security situation is a very common one with many media platforms, but by using Instagram specifically, she was able to appeal to her target audience with something they could relate to. Her argument was also very solidly supported. She used statistics from professional sources and had very specific details in the evidence. She also did a survey of her own, to prove that this security issue is a real threat. When big corporations don’t stop to think about the consequences of their actions, people can get hurt. In my opinion, no one should have their personal information on their social media at all, let alone children. This is a problem that could affect any one of us, no matter how careful we are. The most disturbing part of this situation is how common it has become. Everything that happened to Facebook a while ago, made future problems like this not such a big deal. Facebook and Instagram are now both connected by Meta, and if this gets worse, I don’t even want to imagine the consequences.
Wiley Stroben • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:24 pm
This article focuses on the terms and services that Instagram has and how it may be exposing your personal information to the public. The article then goes into talk about how when people downloaded Instagram everyone said that they didn’t read the terms and services. When I downloaded Instagram I also didn’t read the terms of service. Yet I have my account in public and since then I have had no problems with anyone trying to take information from me. If there is a suspicious account then I will just choose to ignore it or block that account. I think that Instagram gives us good tools in their app to allow us to protect our own privacy. While some may want their information to be more private they give you the tools to do that. I think that we need to understand what you are putting out into public, if it is something simple like your name then it won’t be a big problem, but if you put something significant out to the public like your phone number you can cause yourself big risk such as scam calls or people trying to send you messages straight into your phone. I think that this article is a great way to spread information about the dangers of social media and allows for people to see what they are giving away to the public.
Aaron Mata • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:18 pm
This article talks about the invasive systems built into the popular social media app Instagram. The article was extremely interesting and brought up an important topic that needs to be discussed. The author mentions that the social media platform, due to its popularity, isn’t questioned enough regarding its security measures. Quezada goes on to state that the platform has already been sued multiple times for not protecting the personal information of its users. She continues by saying that the option to release personal email addresses and phone numbers was given to kids ages thirteen to seventeen, people far too young to make such important decisions. What can be done to prevent such large and powerful companies from doing this? What steps can be taken to make young people aware of the dangers that come with putting your life on the internet? The author mentions that in a survey conducted with about twenty-five students regarding whether or not they read the terms and conditions of Instagram, each one said they disregarded them. I do like the point that the author makes regarding the importance of stopping and reading what exactly you’re signing up for before you make big decisions. Overall, this article was extremely solid and brought up the legitimate dangers of social media that many of us seem to completely ignore. While the terms and conditions may seem unimportant it is crucial that we are aware of what we put on the internet for our own safety.
Angelika Dela Cruz • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:17 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit.” The article highlights a recent issue that, in my opinion, has not been talked about enough and was simply brought to my attention because of this insightful work. Instagram has allowed minors, more specifically 13-17 year olds, to make their personal phone number and email, public. This can be very dangerous on the internet, as that information can be taken by the wrong people and used for negative purposes. Although this is explained in the terms and conditions, this article does a very good job of pointing out why it is still not okay. This article has an aware sense of the people of our generation and those who use this app. We do not read the terms and conditions. Even though we are agreeing to this, we do not really read what we are agreeing to. The article wisely urges people to actually read and learn what they are signing up for and to not be careless. It adds on to be mindful of all repercussions of social media. I found these words very useful, as I feel like this is something that many people of our generation can relate to. They are also the perfect target audience for the message that this article is giving, due to the fact that we are on social media all the time. This article was worded well and was extremely useful and insightful.
Carter Kopelakis • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:16 pm
On October 24, 2022, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. The article mentions that Instagram was the 4th most popular social media platform. And that there are over 1.4 billion users. She also writes that instagram has been sued quite a few times an the most recent one in 2020 for exposing children to unsafe cyber behavior. I did not know that Instagram was somewhat recently sued and I don’t find it surprising because it’s really easy to give out your information on Instagram. In my understanding it would be more effective if Instagram made you verify yourself a little more. What are methods that could be used to make this not happen so much for people between the ages 13-17? Is there a way to prevent young teens from making business accounts on Instagram? How can it be made sure that everyone reads user agreements before going further? In all honesty most people including me don’t read the user agreements and don’t think much of it. I never really thought about what not reading it could lead to. Thank you for writing this article and making me aware of some of the recurring issues on Instagram.
Luke Demorest • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:12 pm
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. This article is about the dangers of signing away your rights online. In it, she explains how Instagram is one of the top social media platforms in the world but has still had numerous lawsuits against it for the same reason. I had no idea that Instagram had been sued so many times for not bothering to protect its own users’ privacy information. The article also goes on to describe how many 13-17 year olds give away their phone number and email address just because they did not fully understand the terms and services of the app. She also shows evidence of this by asking 25 different people on campus whether they read the terms and services or not, which they all said no. I personally did not think to read them when I signed up for the platform. I do think it is important to note how the terms and services are very lengthy and most of the stuff is unimportant for the average user. I wonder if there is a way to see these dangerous things that we agree to online more efficiently and effectively? This is a very good article that brings light to a situation that most people have probably never heard of before.
Kaitlyn Rollo • Nov 16, 2022 at 1:09 pm
On October 24th, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit” The article brings attention to a previous lawsuit in 2020. The lawsuit was about a security issue with Instagram. Quezada talks about how Instagram has had many security issues including allowing minors to post their number and email within their profile. Quezada organizes this beautifully and does a great job of presenting a lot of the facts involved. I love how she doesn’t just stick to one random statistic. I was surprised to see Quezada talk about the terms and conditions along with the privacy policy that pops up when you download Instagram. I think Quezada did a great job in getting a decent-sized sample to ask about whether or not students read the terms and conditions. I think it is great that she adds a direct quote from one of the students she asked. This article was very well written and made me think about my own social media usage and how I normally won’t take time to go and read them. I typically just hit the check mark and that’s it. Thank you for writing on this topic and helping people become more aware about why they should read what they sign or agree to.
Chazz Brown • Nov 16, 2022 at 11:28 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit” the article informs people to read the terms and conditions within social media before agreeing to use the app because people are unaware of what they are actually signing. This article was an eye opener to me as an instagram user and a teenager who does not look at the terms and conditions. I agree that many teenagers are clueless of what social media can actually be doing with your personal information and this can be very dangerous especially at this age. Teenagers don’t think too much into this when downloading apps like instagram and put too much trust into these apps. They only look at the positive side of social media to “fit in” like you said. I also really like the example you used where you asked teenagers if they actually read the terms and conditions and I think it was a great way to prove this fact. Instagram is such a popular app among all ages that this problem can be really bad for future generations as well and I believe that it’s not only the users fault but also Instagram to make this a safer platform for people. In the meantime, I will be sure to read the terms and conditions next time I’m downloading a social media app.
Zack Eastman • Nov 16, 2022 at 11:26 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit.” The article mentions an Instagram lawsuit taking place in 2020, as Instagram has been given a negative title for their safety and privacy towards children ages 13-17 on the platform, having information such as their personal phone numbers and email addresses publicized. Prior to reading this I have never personally been concerned about my information on Instagram. I too fall into the unanimous majority of your poll asking whether or not the terms and services have been read, as I have not once even considered reading them. I praise this article for bringing awareness to the situation, because as a social media user myself the common consumer will just always assume their security is confirmed. It is definitely not the first thing we consider when we use the same platform on a daily basis, and I praise the logical view this article presents. I would like to ask as a normal social media user what exactly someone could do to hide their personal information better? Are we all at risk in using social media? Is this problem applicable to other age groups or just 13-17? Thank you for enlightening me on the exposure of unsafe cyber behavior, this article is a valid step in taking this problem into better hands.
Cristian Rodriguez • Nov 16, 2022 at 11:25 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. First, I would like to say thank you for notifying people about this conflict with Instagram as this was a very helpful article. The article mentions how almost all teenagers are on social media and one of the biggest ones is Instagram. Although social media is used to express yourself in a positive way, the company itself actually has access to much of your information that they can then use to profit and take advantage of your info. When you mentioned how no one reads the terms and conditions, including me, I think the reason we ignore it is because we don’t really take into consideration all of the third-party companies tied to Instagram. We also don’t realize how much someone can find out about us just by giving a company your email address and phone number. For me personally, I did think about this a tiny bit when making an account, but was honestly just too lazy to take the time to read all of the terms and conditions. In fact I have actually had a few friends whose accounts have been hacked because of falling for email and phone number scams. Do you think that even if teens did actually read the terms and conditions that it would prevent them from making an account?
Emily Temblador • Nov 16, 2022 at 11:19 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. First of all, I want to thank Tere for bringing attention to this issue. Not many people pay attention to what they are agreeing to, and in the long run are just having their personal information sold and shared without them knowing. I also would like to mention that most social media apps also do this; they hide these details far into the Terms Of Conditions since they know most people just blindly press the accept button without even knowing what they agreed to. You can also see this issue in Tiktok, another very popular social media app. It is not new news that most social media apps, especially the most used and popular ones, are gathering your information for their own advantage, and then even selling it to other companies that use your information to target you in things such as advertisements on your phone. As social media and the internet continues to develop, these issues will become more prominent and will become even bigger of an issue than they are now. By bringing more attention to this issue, it can influence people to begin to actually read the Terms of Conditions, and make people aware of what they are essentially agreeing to while using the app. Another honorable mention is the fact this is affecting teenagers; just like Tere mentioned in the article, it is significantly exposing developing minds to things that will completely change the way they think. It can also influence their beliefs, how they see themselves, and especially how they view life. From personal experience, Instagram exposes you to posts that you wouldn’t even have searched for in the first place, and even gives you an algorithm that shows you new things they believe you would like based on the information they have off of you (like your gender, age, and even your IP). By bringing more attention to these issues, as the public, we can hopefully make a change to what information these social media apps gather from us and prevent it from happening.
Andrew • Nov 16, 2022 at 11:15 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. The article mentions that Instagram has been sued multiple times prior to this for not protecting the user’s information. Then it goes on to state that giving children the opportunity to make their accounts public at the age of 13-17 is unethical. I speak as a person who does put their Instagram account in public mode, I don’t really see a threat to making an account on public mode. If a person can easily see if something is dangerous or harmful it’s best to ignore and use the block feature on the Instagram app or website. Although, I really liked how you told the audience to learn to stop and read the terms of conditions, as many people including me would just skim most of it and just click agree to all. It’s important in many life decisions and is recommended. I’m curious to know if you read the terms when you signed up for Instagram? Also do you think that Instagram will ever change how to protect their user’s with a different feature that might be released in the future? Thanks for letting me know about this!
Sam Martynec • Nov 16, 2022 at 11:12 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. This article mentions that Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, was sued for exposing children to unsafe cyber behavior by allowing them to have their personal phone numbers and emails displayed for anyone using the app to see. Prior to this article I was unaware of this situation on Instagram, and I am a user of the app. It is very important that Quezada wrote this article because a majority of teenagers, especially at MIllikan, are users of Instagram and deserve to know what is happening with their information. This article can be used as a learning tool for many and it can be seen as a precautionary measure to inform these 13-17 year old teenagers of the potential dangers or risks of cyber security that Instagram is dealing with. Thank you for allowing the Millikan community to be made aware of this situation to help prevent any issues in the future with cyber security.
Sofia Arzola • Nov 16, 2022 at 11:03 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit.” The article focuses on the dangers of teenagers using social media, specifically Instagram, without considering the repercussions of our actions. Prior to the article, I never took into consideration that my personal information may be leaked to unknown sources. I use Instagram frequently as it’s the only form of social media I’m allowed to use, but I rarely post. It makes me wonder if any of my information such as phone number, email address, and so on have been published without my knowledge or permission. Additionally, I wanted to praise Quezada for causing me to pause and reflect on my use of social media. As I continued to read through the article I found myself relating to many of the people Quezada interviewed. I also did not read the terms and conditions when downloading Instagram, I just briefly skimmed through the material and said I agreed to them so that I could begin using the app. Now that I’ve gotten much older I’ve become more aware of the negative effects of social media, but I still never knew Instagram had been sued a multitude of times. Overall I appreciate this article because it caused me to reflect on my own actions and how best to use social media safely in the future.
Bridget Ball • Nov 16, 2022 at 9:51 am
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit” The article talks about the lack of security on Instagram. Quezada states,” Giving children the opportunity to post their personal information is not an ethical decision.” Which I 100 percent agree with. At this age, teens aren’t always at the best point of mind and are given opportunities to make mistakes they may greatly regret later on in life. These mistakes can also have huge consequences, which I’m pretty sure no one wants to deal with. The editor also mentioned the fact that no one actually reads the terms and conditions before signing them. This made me think back to any time I have ever read the full terms and conditions of an app, which is never. This article made me more cautious of my actions and reminded me to pay more attention to what I’m agreeing to and to not make a blind agreement. I would never want my personal information to be made public, and if I had made that mistake when I was younger, I would hate to have it affect me later in life. Thank you for giving myself, and so many others awareness on this topic.
Cole Jordan • Nov 16, 2022 at 9:49 am
On October 24, 2022, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit”. This article is very informative as I never knew that Instagram exposed such personal information. What other types of information does Instagram have access to? It also surprised me that Instagram has been sued several times which makes me question their authenticity. What was Instagram sued for in the past? The article explains that Instagram allows minors over thirteen to make their personal infromation public. Why is that allowed on the platform? Is there not an age verification that prevents this? I agree that it is dangerous for Instagram to let minors control who can access their information as it is unknown what people may do with it. 25 students on campus were asked if they read the terms and conditions of the service. They all collectively responded no which was shocking to me. How many people skip through the terms and conditions and don’t even glance through it? I appreciate that the author explains how this is a problem and states that we should think before we make rapid choices like signing rights away without even reading the conditions.
Angelina Keller • Nov 16, 2022 at 9:38 am
November 16, 2022
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 24, Tere Quezada wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit.” The article discusses the topic of Instagram’s platform safety and how it can be very deceiving to young children of the ages 13-17. Before this article, I never took into account how dangerous Instagram could be as a user of one. I could also relate to the fact that I too did not read the terms and conditions and merely just skimmed them. To get a better perspective of this topic I have a few questions. Since Instagram has been sued multiple times with the latest lawsuit being in 2020, how are they trying to improve or how have they improved since their previous lawsuits? Have they shown any type of action to make their platform a safer place for children? If they haven’t, why do they not take action? What should Instagram do to improve children’s safety on their platform? How can we have users fully read the terms and conditions of Instagram’s platform? How should we, as users of the platform, help protect future generations that will use this platform? Should the minimum age of the platform change? Should we stop using instagram to keep ourselves safe? Why or why not? Thank you for informing me about this topic.
Sincerely,
Angelina Keller, Grade 11
Leah • Nov 16, 2022 at 9:36 am
The article informs us about the privacy issues of the popular social media app Instagram and how it has led to many legal troubles for the app. Before this article I was unaware that one of my personal favorite social media apps could potentially be giving out my personal information. I agreed with the quote included by Sydney Tyler, I also never stop and pay attention to the terms and conditions. This article pointed out how vulnerable high school students can be to the dangers of this app and how it can have a very negative impact on our lives. I think that understanding what social media sites do to us is important and I agree that we young people need to start reading the fine print. The fact that nobody surveyed said that they read the terms and conditions shows a lot. We put too much trust into these apps and that may have a bad result for us. The article states that Instagram is the 4th most used social media app, this makes me wonder how many kids had their information given out.I think that this was a very well written article with good evidence and an important message.
Dalylah Mejorado • Nov 16, 2022 at 9:32 am
On October 24, 2022, Tere Quezada wrote a short article named “Instagram Lawsuit.” The text addresses the security and privacy issue that has continuously impacted the lives of children globally. Although Instagram has been a beneficial way for businesses to gain more exposure and for friends to keep in contact with one another across seas, it has flaws. Instagram has given minors the ability to expose their phone number and email addresses to thousands of strangers, with the ability to manipulate and take advantage of their information. Reading this article, the first thought that came to mind was the problematic hackers that roam the internet. If minors put their personal contact information, it is easier for predators and scammers to hack into their Instagram accounts and steal their identity. Thank you for addressing the need to be cautious and responsible with social media. Bringing awareness to the consequences of these actions could stop minors from being taken advantage of in the future. Instagram is one of the largest social media platforms in the world, yes, but that does not mean we should blindly trust the organization. It is crucial to be aware of the circumstances and risks we are putting ourselves at once we join this platform, especially for Instagram users who are minors.
Scottie Wells • Nov 16, 2022 at 9:31 am
On October 24, Tere Quezara wrote an article titled “Instagram Lawsuit” There are few things I like about this article. One, it is straightforward and to the point. It gives clear facts and evidence and ties it well with reasoning. The data is credible and relevant to the issue described in the article. Stating exactly how many people use this platform is a good way to start it so readers have a good understanding of how many people are impacted by the issue. Then they go on to explain their research they conducted, polling people on how many actually read the terms and services before creating an Instagram account. The data was unanimous. Hardly anyone reads the text provided that explains their privacy rights which Instagram takes advantage of. Then Quezara ties in that this is how they get away with things such as information exposition and unsecure privacy. And bringing to attention that Instagram has been called out for this was a good touch because it shows that we can stand up to those who take advantage of us and others. I agree with Tere that we should be more careful when disclosing personal information online, because there will always be consequences.