Third party Instagram apps will no longer have access to Instagram's feed after InstaAgent, one of the company's most popular clients, was found to be stealing usernames and passwords.
Engadget reported that the Instagram client called "Who Viewed Your Profile -- InstaAgent" is an app that monitors a user's Instagram profile views. InstaAgent is not very popular in the US, so it is not a surprise that only a few people have heard of it.
After taking a close look at the app, Peppersoft developer David L-R discovered that the app has been sending log-in credentials (unencrypted and in cleartext, to boot) to remote server instagram.zunamedia.com. The Peppersoft developer revealed this on Twitter.
According to LedgerGazette, Instagram is changing its API (application programming interface) and is requiring all new apps to undergo a review before given access to the full protocol. The review process of both existing and new apps will commence on Dec. 3 and developers have until June 1, 2016 to gain approval from the company.
However, apps that will request access to the whole feed will no longer be allowed by the company. The platform update was detailed in a blog post by Instagram.
"We are also launching Sandbox Mode, which will let you privately build and test your apps using Instagram's APIs as your app is being reviewed," Instagram posted. Some functions within the API will be restricted until the apps have been reviewed.
Instagram's full platform policy can be read here.
With the restriction Instagram is making, the users won't have to worry about third party apps stealing away confidential details and cropping their photos wrong. Instagram's new changes in their policy aim to improve user control over content.
The Facebook-owned photo and video sharing company currently has 400 million users, and even the most popular client has only two million active monthly users, representing only 0.5% of the total. Thus, not giving access to these clients and keeping their ad views won't bring the company any significant business.
Apps that required changes by June 1 include Flow, Retro, Pictacular for iPad, Padgram, Webstagram, Webbygram, Instagreat and Itsdagram for desktop.
