Instagram Sets Its Photos And Videos Free Via Embeds

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One of the most startling moments for tech junkies during the Boston Marathon bombing last April was the fact that Vine videos were some of the most sharable and informative updates, due mainly to the way news outfits could throw them into breaking stories and livestreams.

Now, nearly three weeks after launching its own video offering, Instagram has enabled the same embeddable function for both its photos and videos.

See also: Instagram Video May Be Strangling Vine, But This Fight Isn't Over

 It's not clear what effect the move may have on the apparent decline in Vine's popularity vis-a-vis Instagram microvideo. But Instagram, which is cruising towards its third birthday this fall and still growing consistently since Facebook acquired it last December, now holds an enviable position in the world of social media.

How To Embed Your Instagram Videos The process is simple. Instagram added a new share button on the right side of all photos and videos, right under the comments button, that gives you an embed code.

 

The company has also made it clear that your credit stays intact: "[C]licking on the Instagram logo will take people to your page on Instagram.com where they can discover more of your photos and videos," the blog post reads.

To see how it looks on a page, here's a video embed from CEO Kevin Systrom himself. Note that you can't like an image or video or leave a comment unless you head to Instagram.com.

Unlike Vike videos, which are set to autoplay on any page and in the app itself, Instagram video embeds remain static until a user clicks the play button.

See also: The Killer Feature In Instagram Microvideo Isn't What You Think

 As for privacy—a must-ask question for any new announcement coming out of Facebook HQ—Instagram says it's committed to keeping things simple. Embed codes are only available to those whose photos and videos are public, the blog post states, meaning even those with access to a friend's private account can't share out their photos or videos.  

Lead image by Madeleine Weiss for ReadWrite

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