Do you use a third-party app to browse Instagram feeds and hashtags more efficiently on an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad?

If so, there’s a high likelihood that your app has now ceased functioning due to Instagram’s new and much stricter policy pertaining to the official API, which has gone into effect today, as first noted by MacRumors.

Many apps that integrate with Instagram no longer work

FastFeed for Instagram, a nicely done application which I’ve been using on a regular basis, is one of the many third-party Instagram apps and websites that have stopped working this morning.

“Instagram made a important platform policy change regarding 3rd party API,” the app’s release notes read. “From June 2016, they disallow 3rd party apps to browsing Instagram photos for general use. Unfortunately, our app is not a exception and will stop working on the 1st of June.”

Some apps like Gramfeed have been removed from the App Store and many others, including Mixagram for iPhone, also ceased functioning on June 1.

“As of June 1st 2016, Gramfeed will no longer function,” developers cautioned.

“To conform with the Instagram API Platform changes, Gramfeed had to be transitioned to a new service called Picodash and is focused on providing the search and social media management functionality to brands, publishers and journalists”.

Instagram is killing off malicious apps?

“Instagram began reviewing new and existing apps before granting full API access starting December 3, 2015, but the changes for apps created before November 17, 2015 only went into effect on Wednesday, rendering any remaining third-party apps that implemented photo feeds virtually useless,” writes MacRumors.

According to Instagram’s notice posted on its developer site six months ago, developers should apply for permissions review to continue using the official API.

The much stricter Instagram platform policy should kill off malicious third-party apps while supporting the following use cases:

Help individuals share their own content with 3rd party apps, such as apps that let you print your photos and import an Instagram photo as a profile picture.

Help brands and advertisers understand and manage their audience, develop their content strategy, and get digital rights to media. Established apps in this space may apply for our newly announced Instagram Partner Program.

Help broadcasters and publishers discover content, get digital rights to media, and share media using web embeds.

As you can see for yourself, the new rules pretty much rule out any third-party apps designed to make browsing Instagram a more pleasing experience.

You can read the full terms here.

Source: MacRumors