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I created a classifieds platform around Instagram posts and been operating since around April 2015. When filling out their form and creating a screencast beggin

I created a classifieds platform around Instagram posts and been operating since around April 2015. When filling out their form and creating a screencast begging for access back, I get denied stating that their API is not for "one off projects." YouTube shows that they haven't even watched the screencast they asked me to make, just flat out denied without spending any time on my API request. It's their product and they can do whatever they want with it, but the annoying thing is that they had released an API for people to play with, people built features around it, and now the features do not work. This kind of disrespectful dismissal make me really reluctant to spend time integrating other APIs in future things I make.

endemic 10y ago
I will never integrate with a 3rd party API unless I have some sort of contract which prevents them from yanking the rug out from under me. Sadly, the sort of developer-hostile TOS that Instagram uses is all too common these days: "Instagram may change, suspend, or discontinue the availability of any Instagram APIs at any time. In addition, Instagram may impose limits on certain features and services or restrict your access to parts or all of the Instagram APIs or the Instagram website without notice or liability." (https://www.instagram.com/about/legal/terms/api/ https://www.instagram.com/about/legal/terms/api/)
- mattzito 10y ago
  Then you're never going to be able to integrate with any APIs. Even the best free APIs have clauses that the provider isn't liable for any damages caused to you due to their changing their mind about the business they want to be in. In this case, though, Instagram gave people over six months to transition to the new process and workflow, and for us, our approval took less than a week. IMHO, this is a good example of the right way to transition applications over.
  - abootstrapper 10y ago
    They should have done a soft shutdown to alert developers. Half of the developers didn't even know about the upcoming change because Instagram emails just end up in junk.
    - jimboyoungblood 10y ago
      They've had a notice at the top of https://www.instagram.com/developer/ https://www.instagram.com/developer/ since late last year. >> Any app created before Nov 17, 2015 will continue to function until June 1, 2016. On that date, the app will automatically be moved to Sandbox Mode if it wasn't approved through the review process
      - pimlottc 10y ago
        Let's be real, after a project is finished, no developer is going to randomly keep watching the docs page of one of the probably many APIs they used for it.
        mattzito 10y ago
        But they also were emailing - I got like five emails for my personal projects warning me that things were changing. Plus it was reported in the tech press: http://www.macrumors.com/2015/11/17/instagram-new-api-changes/ http://www.macrumors.com/2015/11/17/instagram-new-api-change... http://techcrunch.com/2015/11/17/just-instagram/ http://techcrunch.com/2015/11/17/just-instagram/ I'm really not sure what more people expect instagram to do.
        dk8996 10y ago
        We never got any emails from Instagram.
maddox21 10y ago
and you don't fall under any of their 3 use cases.. which the closest for you would be -"to help individuals share their own content with 3rd party applications" My issue is that they only will give "basic" permission to 3rd party apps? (which it seems like it under their valid use examples). My app DOES help individuals share there own Instagram photo content (like Tinder profile connects with users Instagram photos) but I also need public_content and follower_list.. and not sure if they will just deny with "one off project!"...
- maddox21 10y ago
  -Also in Sandbox.. only the Admin (main instagram user/that invites the others) the permissions seems to work. I can search public_content and find my sandbox users but sandbox user can't search and find the main admin user... is this right??

endemic 10y ago

I will never integrate with a 3rd party API unless I have some sort of contract which prevents them from yanking the rug out from under me. Sadly, the sort of developer-hostile TOS that Instagram uses is all too common these days: "Instagram may change, suspend, or discontinue the availability of any Instagram APIs at any time. In addition, Instagram may impose limits on certain features and services or restrict your access to parts or all of the Instagram APIs or the Instagram website without notice or liability." (https://www.instagram.com/about/legal/terms/api/ https://www.instagram.com/about/legal/terms/api/)

mattzito 10y ago
Then you're never going to be able to integrate with any APIs. Even the best free APIs have clauses that the provider isn't liable for any damages caused to you due to their changing their mind about the business they want to be in. In this case, though, Instagram gave people over six months to transition to the new process and workflow, and for us, our approval took less than a week. IMHO, this is a good example of the right way to transition applications over.
- abootstrapper 10y ago
  They should have done a soft shutdown to alert developers. Half of the developers didn't even know about the upcoming change because Instagram emails just end up in junk.
  - jimboyoungblood 10y ago
    They've had a notice at the top of https://www.instagram.com/developer/ https://www.instagram.com/developer/ since late last year. >> Any app created before Nov 17, 2015 will continue to function until June 1, 2016. On that date, the app will automatically be moved to Sandbox Mode if it wasn't approved through the review process
    - pimlottc 10y ago
      Let's be real, after a project is finished, no developer is going to randomly keep watching the docs page of one of the probably many APIs they used for it.
      - mattzito 10y ago
        But they also were emailing - I got like five emails for my personal projects warning me that things were changing. Plus it was reported in the tech press: http://www.macrumors.com/2015/11/17/instagram-new-api-changes/ http://www.macrumors.com/2015/11/17/instagram-new-api-change... http://techcrunch.com/2015/11/17/just-instagram/ http://techcrunch.com/2015/11/17/just-instagram/ I'm really not sure what more people expect instagram to do.
        dk8996 10y ago
        We never got any emails from Instagram.

maddox21 10y ago

and you don't fall under any of their 3 use cases.. which the closest for you would be -"to help individuals share their own content with 3rd party applications" My issue is that they only will give "basic" permission to 3rd party apps? (which it seems like it under their valid use examples). My app DOES help individuals share there own Instagram photo content (like Tinder profile connects with users Instagram photos) but I also need public_content and follower_list.. and not sure if they will just deny with "one off project!"...

maddox21 10y ago
-Also in Sandbox.. only the Admin (main instagram user/that invites the others) the permissions seems to work. I can search public_content and find my sandbox users but sandbox user can't search and find the main admin user... is this right??