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We recently created a web-app that invites local highschool sports fans to share their favorite moments from local sporting events.

We allow users to upload photos and videos, from their device, from facebook, and instagram. Later these photos and videos are voted on by web visitors, and the school that hosts the "winning moment", gets a prize.

Instagram declined our request for api permissions. They said it was an invalid use-case: "Invalid Use Case: The use case described in your submission notes, screencast and website is not a valid use case that we allow on our Platform. Please see our Permissions Review and valid use cases description for more information."

I did this, and it seems to be a valid use-case, "to help individuals share their own content with 3rd party apps".

..they otherwise refer me to stackoverflow to ask questions. Maybe I explained the use-case incorrectly in my application?

Does anyone know why this application would be denied? ..or how I might better explain our use case so that they will see that it is valid and approve our request?

James Earlywine
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4 Answers4

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Its Instagram tightening the ratchets to enable more traffic to their service - which in turn ups the all important $ flow.

According to this: http://developers.instagram.com/post/133424514006/instagram-platform-update I'd consider you a broadcaster / publisher & so you can only manually embed the photos: https://www.instagram.com/developer/embedding/

Its basically restricting you from using Instagram content without the user visiting the Instagram site & being presented with an ad from Instagram. You are in essence creating an alternative social media experience which pulls eyeballs away from their service.

Think of it similar to Msft predatory behaviour in the 90's!

Keep looking, but I understand that the answer is basically no - go get your own users!

...one step forward, two steps...

Mr T
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    That makes sense. Sucks though. Our web-visitors will enjoy having their photos featured on our website (we're the largest newspaper in central Indiana). I guess worst case scenario we just remove the "Upload From Instagram" button, so that they can only upload photos from their device, or from Facebook. We have millions of visitors each month. I would think Instagram would expose an API to expand their presence/visibility/integration to the rest of the web. ..but their policy seems to be more likely to isolate themselves instead. :/ – James Earlywine Jan 05 '16 at 15:23
  • What about Instagram analytics apps like Followers+ that get you list of secret admirers, ghost followers, etc. Which use case will it fit in ? – Deepak Sharma Jan 21 '16 at 16:00
  • @DeepakSharma sorry I misread your question with my previous comment (now deleted). I guess that it doesn't really fit in full stop. There is no option for a complementary app. The only thing I guess is to submit & see. – Mr T Jan 21 '16 at 19:46
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Recently had the same issue and was able to resolve it by reapplying and selecting use case 3 rather than 1.

We were applying for embedded Instagram user feeds. It matches up with this part of their use case "we're helping broadcasters to share media using proper attribution".

I was surprised they didn't just say to me that it's better suited to 3 in the original submission. That response is definitely automated and seems like they have to reject applications based on some internal guidelines. So don't be too put off, it's worth another submission.

Paul Mason
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  • Can you explain briefly on what you described in the API usage, and how you did the screencast. For example, did you talk during the screencast? I keep getting declined and I'm unsure what the problem might be. I'm working on a slideshow website similar to EventsTag. Instagram's generic response "Invalid use case" doesn't help, makes me have to re-think the whole submission all over again. – Jón Trausti Arason Jun 08 '16 at 13:17
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    Hey @raRaRa I wrote this guide https://gist.github.com/paulmason/0cffb769255b00c465a0, it's specifically for Shopify themes although u can just omit the part about the settings. I didn't talk during the screencast just pointed to things with the mouse. – Paul Mason Jun 08 '16 at 21:36
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Instagram is not going to gain from this in the long run. Almost making it impossible to create stuff around Instagram will make developers look elsewhere.

Or... Do it without their consent. It's like Music Industry saying "We won't go digital... Let's fight it"... See how well that went...

Philip
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Instagram have just explained/changed their use cases. The killer for your application, my application and many others is that user case 2 and 3 now state that all people apart from brand owners/advertisers (case 2) and publishers (case 3) must be locked out by the application. Thus the use case is more about who is using it than what they do with it.

betchern0t
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