Instagram网页简介功能引发隐私忧虑

    广受欢迎的照片分享应用Instagram拥有1亿注册用户。这家公司上周宣布，全新的网页简介（web profile）功能即将发布，用户可以用非常类似于Facebook时间线（Timeline）而又带点Pinterest风格的方式浏览照片。

    Instagram的官方博客上写道：“您希望我们推出网络版的Instagram，我们从善如流。您的网页简介将精选您最近分享的照片，显示在您的头像和个人简介上方。其他人借此可以大致了解您在Instagram上分享的照片。”

    现在，Instagram用户只能查看照片——而不能上传。他们也可以编辑、同时与其他用户分享自己的简介，以及评论和“赞”照片。

    虽然Instagram认为新功能有助于用户分享照片，结交朋友，但它不可避免地将暴露用户隐私。事实上，任何人只要在浏览器上输入“Instagram.com/[username]”就能轻松浏览指定用户的照片，除非该用户将个人帐号设为不公开。否则，用户必须登陆Instagram移动应用程序，更改设置。

    操作很简单，虽然有些麻烦。但用户毕竟要亲自去设置，那些注重个人隐私却不清楚这次升级变化的用户可能会对此感到忧虑。Instagram公司在官方博客上公布了升级一事，但却没有在Instagram应用程序中对用户作出任何警示。（用户只收到一条提示：全新网页简介功能发布！请访问您的个人页面instagram.com/username。）说真的，Instagram的1亿用户里有多少会看它的公司博客？

    虽然Instagram也许从新东家Facebook那里成功偷师到了网页简介功能，但它同时也从这家社交网络巨头那里染上了点毛病，那就是用户隐私问题。

    译者：项航

    Instagram, the wildly popular photo-sharing app with 100 million members, announced this week it would roll out a new web profile feature to users so they can view photos -- and the photos of others users -- in a format that strongly resembles Facebook Timeline with a dash of Pinterest.

    "You've asked for Instagram on the web and we've listened," the company's blog says. "Your web profile features a selection of your recently shared photographs just above your profile photo and bio, giving others a snapshot of the photos you share on Instagram."

    For now, users are limited to viewing photos -- not uploading them. They can also edit and share their profiles with other users, as well as comment and like on photos.

    While the company presents this as another way for users to share and discover new users, it also raises an issue regarding user privacy. In fact, anyone on the Web will be able to view the photos of an Instagram user simply by typing in "Instagram.com/[username]" unless the user has their account already set to private. Otherwise, the user must dive back into the mobile app and switch settings.

    Easily enough done, if slightly annoying, but the fact that users will have to opt-in may raise concerns for more privacy-conscious Instagram users who aren't aware of the change. The company says so in a blog post on its site, but it doesn't alert users in the actual app. (All they get is a prompt: "Announcing Instagram Web Profiles! Visit yours at instagram.com/username.") And let's be honest: how many of Instagram's 100 million users actually read the company's blog?

    So while Instagram may indeed be benefitting from its acquisition by Facebook (FB) with a spiffy new profile feature, it seems to have acquired something else from the social networking giant: privacy issues.