Want to repost user-generated content on Instagram but are confused about what the legalities are?
This blog post provides all the answers. Read on to discover the rules for reposting to Instagram and learn about how you can obtain permission and give due credit for the same. Curating your Instagram feed with UGC or user-generated content demands that you understand the rules before you do the same. This is essential so that you can protect your brand and engage with the content creators of your community in a fair and ethical manner.
Why should UGC rules be followed?
User-generated content can be trusted 76% more than branded advertising. Not only that, but it’s also a great option for filling your empty spaces with some good Instagram content. Each Instagram handle, product or branded hashtag that is created by any of your customers markets your business absolutely free of cost when you re-share the same on your Instagram profile.
But brands and businesses have found themselves under the scanner when they have incorrectly or wrongly posted UGC to their Instagram profiles. Keep in mind that there are certain laws and regulations in place that protect intellectual copyright on Instagram. So, any copyright infringement is not advisable and one must study the legalities before reposting UGC. It’s all about seeking permission to repost UGC and give due credit to the creators. You shouldn’t cheat someone out of their livelihood, as for many creators this is their bread and butter.
Here’s a stepwise plan to correctly repost UGC on your Instagram profile:
1. Follow the legal protocols to repost user-generated content
Learn about the legalities and the responsibilities that a brand has to repost UGC on Instagram. The main area to be covered is ownership rights. Find out who owns the copyright to the image or the video you wish to repost. Know if the owner has the right to revenue or other benefits from the content. Also, make sure the person gets the due credit apart from remuneration/benefits.
2. Ask for permission
Brands normally source UGC by either browsing for pertinent UGC content or by searching a branded hashtag. Ensure that you have the permission of the original creator regardless of the fact that they might have tagged the content with your UGC-specific hashtag. You can ask for permission in the following ways:
- Send the creator a Direct Message (DM)
- Ensure that you ask for confirmation before using a branded hashtag
- Credit the creator properly
How to repost Instagram Stories correctly?
1.Repost the original post without fail
Refrain from taking screenshots and re-uploading an image to your Instagram Stories without original creator's permission. This can reduce the quality of the image. What you can do is, tap on the paper airplane icon below a post to share the image to your Instagram Stories instead. This turns the post into a clickable sticker in your Instagram Stories Post which is linked back to the creator.
2. Always seek permission to save to a Highlight
If you intend to save a UGC Instagram story to your Highlights, ensure that you ask for explicit permission first. This is often overlooked but is imperative. Using a DM, contact the creator and explain where you plan to save the content and ask for permission for the same.
FAQs
- How do you repost UGC on Instagram?
If you need to repost an Instagram story that someone has tagged you in, tap the “Add This to your Story” button in your DM notification. This is a fast and simple process of sharing content from your community and also giving the creators the due credit that they deserve. - Is it legal to repost content on Instagram?
It is legal if you have prior permission to use someone's post. The Repost for Instagram app adds the creator's Instagram handle to the image you're re-sharing after you have taken permission to repost. - Can you not repost without permission?
You should not repost UGC if you haven’t taken the users' consent or permission to repost their content. There are many ways to take the permission of the user. But the easiest and most common method is to DM (directly message) the user and take explicit permission to repost their content. - Is it illegal to post Google images on Instagram?
Yes. It is illegal but many people choose to do so as the chances of getting caught are nominal. But this act is not advisable. - What to do when someone posts your picture on Instagram without permission?
If you find out that your image or video has been posted on Instagram without your permission, what you can do is get in touch with the person that has posted it and ask for the same to be deleted. Refusal to do can lead to legal action from your end. - How do I know if my content has been reposted?
Open Google Image Search in your web browser. Note that this only works in Google Chrome! Go to the folder on your computer where your image resides. Drag the artwork to the search bar in Google Image Search, and Drop Image Here appears. - Why do artists not like their art reposted?
Artists lose control of their image once other people post it. Also, their work can be used without their permission by other people. From the moment it is created, the work of an artist is copyright protected. Reposting the work against their wishes leads to a violation of that copyright. One must take permission to repost an artist’s work and that permission must be granted by the artist in question.
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