Facebook buys Instagram for $1B

Facebook Inc., the world’s largest social-networking service, snapped up the hugely popular photo-sharing app Instagram on Apr. 9, for roughly $1 billion in a combination of cash and stock

Facebook announced that it has agreed to acquire photo sharing iPhone and Android app Instagram for a reported $1 billion. Technology blogs and internet users are buzzing about the news and posting their thoughts on the deal.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the acquisition will help the social network provide better photo sharing experiences for its users, but some Instagram users are already concerned about the privacy implications.

“Time to cancel my @instagram account before Facebook violates that veil of privacy,” said one Twitter user. “So will Facebook now own my photos? Will my privacy become not private? Will everything I do be tracked and kept on file?” questioned another.

"Part of the concern is that it's Facebook," Chris Conley, an attorney at the ACLU of Northern California, told CNET. "And their history of privacy and respecting user choices is mixed."

Mark Zuckerberg, however, insists that the Instagram purchase is all about improving the photo sharing experience on Facebook.

“For years, we've focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family,” said Zuckerberg. “Now, we'll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests.”

If you want to take your Instagram photos and run, CNET and Gizmodo have both posted how-to tutorials that explain how to export your pictures and delete your account “before Facebook ruins everything.”

The Washington Post and Lifehacker have suggested some great alternative apps (such as Hipstamatic, Camera+, Hipster, Pixlr-o-matic and Lightbox) for those who are concerned about using Instagram now that it’s been purchased by Facebook.