Instagram hits 90 million users despite terms-of-service fracas

Photo-sharing service Instagram has said it now has more than 90 million monthly active users, a 10 percent rise from December, despite claims that the service is bleeding subscribers after a recent outrage over a revision to its terms of service.
In December Instagram proposed a series of changes to its terms of service to set groundwork for making money with the service, which was bought by Facebook for $1 billion earlier in 2012. The new terms stated Instagram could use your photos in ads, a demand that inspired backlash from pundits and users alike, who called for people to shut down their accounts with the service.
To quell users' concerns, Instagram agreed to revert to its original terms of service in the advertising section, the same used since the service started in 2010. However, other sections will still take effect January 19.

Brace for new TOS

With one day to go until Instagram’s new TOS comes into force, it’s no surprise the service is showing off its numbers. The move seems to be in direct response to reports late last year that users were dumping in droves the photo-sharing service due to the TOS hubbub.

But now it appears that the data the reports on Intagram’s user exodus due to its terms of service was flawed. AppData, the source of the service declining user base info, tracks only the number of users that have their Facebook accounts connected to Instagram, which shows 45 million users currently. According to Instagram, this means that only one in two Instagram users have their account connected to Facebook, indicating that in the long run, Instagram’s terms of service debacle had little effect on its user population.

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