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Instagram Enables Photo, Video Web Embedding

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Get ready to see a whole lot more Instagram photos plastered all over the Web.

The Facebook-owned photo- (and now video)-sharing service on Wednesday introduced Web embedding, an easy way to add Instagram content to any site across the Internet that supports HTML. When you visit an Instagram photo or video page on your desktop Web browser, you'll see a new "share" button on the right side of the photo, underneath the comments button. Simply click this button to get the embed code, and then copy the block of text and paste it into your blog, website, or article.

All Instagram content embedded on the Web will link back to the original photographer's Instagram page.

"As always, you own your photos and videos, and we want to make sure that's understood no matter where your content appears," Instagram said. "Whether you want to embed your video on your blog or a friend wants to feature your photo on a website, everyone will clearly see that your content belongs to you."

Instagram got itself into some hot water late last year when a planned terms of service update suggested that Instagram owns and has the right to sell your content. The company, however, denied that this was the case and scrapped plans for a full TOS update amidst all the controversy.

Note that embed code is only available to those whose photos and videos are public. If your content is private, there is no change. At this point, it looks like this feature is only available on the Web, meaning you can't get embed code from your phone.

Instagram launched Web-based profiles last November. Before that, the only way to view someone's profile was through the mobile app.

Meanwhile, Twitter back in January gave its own embeddable content a boost, allowing for the display of more information, including article summaries and re-tweet counts.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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