Author Topic: Fotolia Gotcha (Read 2546 times)

rimglow · « **on:** July 19, 2012, 11:22 »

I was uploading today, and for the first time I see a new field called Choose Your Contract. The default is set to Exclusive to Fotolia? - Yes. And....If your file is declined by our editors, can we place it in the Fotolia free section? - Yes.

Anybody else seeing this? Kind of presumptive on their part.

Karimala · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2012, 12:20 »

No...but I did notice Fotolia is storing Social Security numbers in plain view to any hacker on our account info page again.

MatHayward · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2012, 12:43 »

Quote from: Karimala on July 19, 2012, 12:20

No...but I did notice Fotolia is storing Social Security numbers in plain view to any hacker on our account info page again.

Where is that?

CD123 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2012, 15:33 »

Quote from: rimglow on July 19, 2012, 11:22

I was uploading today, and for the first time I see a new field called Choose Your Contract. The default is set to Exclusive to Fotolia? - Yes. And....If your file is declined by our editors, can we place it in the Fotolia free section? - Yes.

Anybody else seeing this? Kind of presumptive on their part.

If we are talking about the same thing you are referring to the three round tick boxes at the bottom of the screen (the middle one being the option to allow extend licenses)? If we are, mine is all always set to "No", I actually have to tick it to "Yes" to allow extended licenses every first image I submit (thereafter it stays ticked). Can not remember if it might not be something you can set up by default in your account?

SC · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2012, 15:45 »

I just noticed this and found I cannot change the price for EL - its set at 10 credits with no way to change it. So I deleted all the files I just uploaded. The ssn is more of a concern though.

Edit:
Now it allows me to change the EL price.

rimglow · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2012, 15:47 »

Quote from: CD123 on July 19, 2012, 15:33

Quote from: rimglow on July 19, 2012, 11:22
I was uploading today, and for the first time I see a new field called Choose Your Contract. The default is set to Exclusive to Fotolia? - Yes. And....If your file is declined by our editors, can we place it in the Fotolia free section? - Yes.

Anybody else seeing this? Kind of presumptive on their part.

If we are talking about the same thing you are referring to the three round tick boxes at the bottom of the screen (the middle one being the option to allow extend licenses)? If we are, mine is all always set to "No", I actually have to tick it to "Yes" to allow extended licenses every first image I submit (thereafter it stays ticked). Can not remember if it might not be something you can set up by default in your account?

This is what I'm seeing today. No option to extend licenses.

trek · « **Reply #6 on:** July 19, 2012, 15:53 »

My defaults also changed today... I changed them back. Hell will freeze over before I give Fotolia a free image.

rimglow · « **Reply #7 on:** July 19, 2012, 16:25 »

There are complaints on the Fotolia forum about the loss of extended licenses. The Moderator says he's looking into it.

click_click · « **Reply #8 on:** July 19, 2012, 16:31 »

For years I have been sending Fotolia support messages about the fact that the radio buttons appear to have a life on their own.

I noticed regularly that the "free section" radio button would be randomly set to "Yes".

I never had a problem with the exclusive one or the EL one - only the free section one.

Very disturbing. Btw, I never heard back from support either so I just dealt with it and keep an eye on it...

MatHayward · « **Reply #9 on:** July 20, 2012, 02:38 »

Quote from: rimglow on July 19, 2012, 16:25

There are complaints on the Fotolia forum about the loss of extended licenses. The Moderator says he's looking into it.

What I am seeing different is that in the traditional upload process you cannot opt out of offering extended licenses. However, in the mass index program you still can. Also, the default does appear to have changed to yes when asking about free images.

As soon as I hear back about whether this is a short term glitch or an intentional change I'll post in the FT forum.

Mat

sharpshot · « **Reply #10 on:** July 20, 2012, 03:19 »

I'm not bothering uploading to FT at the moment. The commission cuts were too savage for me and my earnings slumped. Carrying on uploading is just going to encourage them to cut commissions again. Why bother?

Wim · « **Reply #11 on:** July 20, 2012, 03:41 »

Indeed, just started my daily routine and while submitting to FT the "Free" option was checked "yes" by default, actually all three options were checked "yes"

I really feel like a babysitter with these microstock agencies, always something going on, as if I don't have enough work already.
Thanks for the heads-up lads!

The best investment for a microstocker is hiring a lawyer

Mantis · « **Reply #12 on:** July 20, 2012, 07:10 »

Quote from: MatHayward on July 20, 2012, 02:38

Quote from: rimglow on July 19, 2012, 16:25
There are complaints on the Fotolia forum about the loss of extended licenses. The Moderator says he's looking into it.

What I am seeing different is that in the traditional upload process you cannot opt out of offering extended licenses. However, in the mass index program you still can. Also, the default does appear to have changed to yes when asking about free images.

As soon as I hear back about whether this is a short term glitch or an intentional change I'll post in the FT forum.

Mat

Thanks, Mat. Much appreciated.

Karimala · « **Reply #13 on:** July 20, 2012, 07:49 »

Quote from: MatHayward on July 19, 2012, 12:43

Quote from: Karimala on July 19, 2012, 12:20
No...but I did notice Fotolia is storing SSN in plain view to any hacker on our account info page again.

Where is that?

Go to My Dashboard. Click on the Account Information "edit" link. Click on the "Contributor Parameters" tab. There you'll find your SSN.

Mantis · « **Reply #14 on:** July 20, 2012, 07:53 »

Quote from: Karimala on July 20, 2012, 07:49

Quote from: MatHayward on July 19, 2012, 12:43
Quote from: Karimala on July 19, 2012, 12:20
No...but I did notice Fotolia is storing SSN in plain view to any hacker on our account info page again.

Where is that?

Go to My Dashboard. Click on the Account Information "edit" link. Click on the "Contributor Parameters" tab. There you'll find your SSN.

WOW. Fotolia, PLEASE get rid of that!! Geezus H. Kryst.

Karimala · « **Reply #15 on:** July 20, 2012, 07:55 »

Quote from: Mantis on July 20, 2012, 07:53

Quote from: Karimala on July 20, 2012, 07:49
Quote from: MatHayward on July 19, 2012, 12:43
Quote from: Karimala on July 19, 2012, 12:20
No...but I did notice Fotolia is storing SSN in plain view to any hacker on our account info page again.

Where is that?

Go to My Dashboard. Click on the Account Information "edit" link. Click on the "Contributor Parameters" tab. There you'll find your SSN.

WOW. Fotolia, PLEASE get rid of that!! Geezus H. Kryst.

What pisses me off is this isn't the first time! I brought this to Fotolia's attention a few years ago, and it took over a year for them to fix it! I changed my number to 000-00-0000, which forced Chad to call me personally in order to obtain my SSN for tax docs. It was fixed shortly thereafter.

And now it's broken again................

HughStoneIan · « **Reply #16 on:** July 20, 2012, 09:42 »

Thanks for pointing that out, Karin. I guess FT thinks as long as the page is in https format, it's completely safe. And, of course, the ID card scan is in plain sight and can be easily downloaded.

Totally unacceptable!

djpadavona · « **Reply #17 on:** July 20, 2012, 09:51 »

Quote from: sharpshot on July 20, 2012, 03:19

I'm not bothering uploading to FT at the moment. The commission cuts were too savage for me and my earnings slumped. Carrying on uploading is just going to encourage them to cut commissions again. Why bother?

When they moved the uprights for the second time 2 years ago, I deleted all of my files. Never once regretted it either. I simply don't trust them.

djpadavona · « **Reply #18 on:** July 20, 2012, 09:55 »

Quote from: Karimala on July 20, 2012, 07:55

Quote from: Mantis on July 20, 2012, 07:53
Quote from: Karimala on July 20, 2012, 07:49
Quote from: MatHayward on July 19, 2012, 12:43
Quote from: Karimala on July 19, 2012, 12:20
No...but I did notice Fotolia is storing SSN in plain view to any hacker on our account info page again.

Where is that?

Go to My Dashboard. Click on the Account Information "edit" link. Click on the "Contributor Parameters" tab. There you'll find your SSN.

WOW. Fotolia, PLEASE get rid of that!! Geezus H. Kryst.

What pisses me off is this isn't the first time! I brought this to Fotolia's attention a few years ago, and it took over a year for them to fix it! I changed my number to 000-00-0000, which forced Chad to call me personally in order to obtain my SSN for tax docs. It was fixed shortly thereafter.

And now it's broken again................

Much appreciated Karimala. I never would have known they were putting my SS# Live on the site.

MatHayward · « **Reply #19 on:** July 20, 2012, 13:05 »

It appears the changes have reverted back to the old way regarding extended licenses and the default settings for free images. I'm waiting to hear back about the SS# visibility.

Thanks,

Mat

Karimala · « **Reply #20 on:** July 20, 2012, 14:19 »

Quote from: HughStoneIan on July 20, 2012, 09:42

Thanks for pointing that out, Karin. I guess FT thinks as long as the page is in https format, it's completely safe. And, of course, the ID card scan is in plain sight and can be easily downloaded.

Totally unacceptable!

That might be my own internal encryption. I have HTTPS Everywhere installed in Firefox, which encrypts unencryted web pages.

Karimala · « **Reply #21 on:** July 20, 2012, 14:23 »

Quote from: MatHayward on July 20, 2012, 13:05

It appears the changes have reverted back to the old way regarding extended licenses and the default settings for free images. I'm waiting to hear back about the SS# visibility.

Thanks,

Mat

Thanks, Mat! Hopefully you have more luck getting it fixed than I did last time. I can't tell you how many site mails I sent them over that year, which they just ignored. I also brought it up here at MSG numerous times to no avail. Heck, I even filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau thinking that might help! It wasn't until they couldn't actually process my tax documents that they finally paid attention.

Roadrunner · « **Reply #22 on:** July 20, 2012, 14:55 »

I warned them of this infraction of Federal Law a few years ago. They are liable for any intentional or unintentional leak of financial or personal information that is hacked if thy new of the problem and did nothing about it.

In accordance with IRC. Section 6103 (i)(i) anyone requiring your SS# or any other financial information is liable for securing it. Plus the penalty for failing to comply is serious.

Perhaps this should be reported to the Internal Revenue Service since they were warned and allowed it to come back to haunt them again.

Microstock Man · « **Reply #23 on:** July 20, 2012, 22:40 »

I now get a Form Error when I try to submit. Plus my defaults are back to exclusive file, and ok for free section. What on earth Fotolia?!

Karimala · « **Reply #24 on:** July 21, 2012, 05:18 »

Quote from: Roadrunner on July 20, 2012, 14:55

I warned them of this infraction of Federal Law a few years ago. They are liable for any intentional or unintentional leak of financial or personal information that is hacked if thy new of the problem and did nothing about it.

In accordance with IRC. Section 6103 (i)(i) anyone requiring your SS# or any other financial information is liable for securing it. Plus the penalty for failing to comply is serious.

Perhaps this should be reported to the Internal Revenue Service since they were warned and allowed it to come back to haunt them again.

I did the same thing...warned Fotolia that exposing our SS#'s was a violation of Federal law. I just didn't know where to report them at the time other than the BBB, which I later learned isn't the reputable organization I thought it was. If they don't fix it and soon, I'll definitely be contacting the proper authorities. Fotolia has done some pretty crappy things over the years, but this now-recurring SS# problem is the one that angers me the most.