Author Topic: iStock closed my account, because I'm from "Iran". (Read 36859 times)

Ramin · « **on:** November 09, 2014, 17:12 »

Hi,

My name is Ramin. I am a 3D artist. I was an exclusive contributor in iStockphoto (My member name was "RaminKh******" & "Ramin-3D"). 3 days ago I received an email from iStock:
________________________________________________________
Dear Ramin,

The administration team at iStock has revoked your forum privileges. Comments from iStock Administrators (if any):

Closing account as per our email to you on October 7, 2014

If you would like to discuss this with client relations, please email [email protected].

Best Regards,
iStock.com
________________________________________________________

No reason, no explanation and no response to my emails. They did not say anything.
They removed the name of my country from their list. They sold my photos and videos and they have benefited more than 50 thousand dollars and now, they close my account without any explain.

I'm so sorry for this global business.

You can visit some of my removed images here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site:istockphoto.com+%22Ramin-3D%22+contributor&biw=1297&bih=919&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=w91jVJLoJPHG7AaMu4HYCw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

tickstock · « **Reply #1 on:** November 09, 2014, 17:25 »

What did the email on October 7, 2014 say? Did you have two accounts?

gostwyck · « **Reply #2 on:** November 09, 2014, 17:31 »

Quote from: tickstock on November 09, 2014, 17:25

What did the email on October 7, 2014 say? Did you have two accounts?

Yep. We're obviously not being told the whole story here.

As Baruch Spinoza observed "No matter how thin you slice it, there will always be two sides"

Ramin · « **Reply #3 on:** November 09, 2014, 17:50 »

No, I had not two accounts. My first member name was "RaminKh******" and then I sent an email to iStock team for changing my member name to "Ramin-3D".
Before that I became an exclusive contributor on the iStock, I had a few accounts in other royalty sites: Shutterstock, fotolia, dreamstime, and ... and shutterstock & fotolia & dreamstime closed my account at the same time and no reply to my emails.

Ramin · « **Reply #4 on:** November 09, 2014, 18:02 »

Quote from: gostwyck on November 09, 2014, 17:31

Quote from: tickstock on November 09, 2014, 17:25
What did the email on October 7, 2014 say? Did you have two accounts?

Yep. We're obviously not being told the whole story here.

As Baruch Spinoza observed "No matter how thin you slice it, there will always be two sides"

Thanks

gostwyck · « **Reply #5 on:** November 09, 2014, 18:06 »

Quote from: Ramin on November 09, 2014, 17:50

No, I had not two accounts. My first member name was "RaminKhojasteh" and then I sent an email to iStock team for changing my member name to "Ramin-3D".
Before that I became an exclusive contributor on the iStock, I had a few accounts in other royalty sites: Shutterstock, fotolia, dreamstime, and ... and shutterstock & fotolia & dreamstime closed my account at the same time and no reply to my emails.

It's not because you're from Iran is it? It sounds like you were caught claiming personal copyright of imagery you didn't create. Why otherwise would all the main agencies close your accounts?

PixelBytes · « **Reply #6 on:** November 09, 2014, 18:07 »

At what point did your being in Iran enter into it? Whatever the October 7 letter said, that's your answer right there.

Ramin · « **Reply #7 on:** November 09, 2014, 18:15 »

Quote from: gostwyck on November 09, 2014, 18:06

Quote from: Ramin on November 09, 2014, 17:50
No, I had not two accounts. My first member name was "RaminKhojasteh" and then I sent an email to iStock team for changing my member name to "Ramin-3D".
Before that I became an exclusive contributor on the iStock, I had a few accounts in other royalty sites: Shutterstock, fotolia, dreamstime, and ... and shutterstock & fotolia & dreamstime closed my account at the same time and no reply to my emails.

It's not because you're from Iran is it? It sounds like you were caught claiming personal copyright of imagery you didn't create. Why otherwise would all the main agencies close your accounts?

I did not do any mistake. I am a designer and all of my images and videos created by me. I never had not any image or clip on my gallery from others.

Ramin · « **Reply #8 on:** November 09, 2014, 18:22 »

Quote from: PixelBytes on November 09, 2014, 18:07

At what point did your being in Iran enter into it? Whatever the October 7 letter said, that's your answer right there.

I became a member on the iStock in May 2009. At that time there was the name of my country at the list and now removed from list.

Ramin · « **Reply #9 on:** November 09, 2014, 18:30 »

I apologize that my English language is not so good. Maybe I don't understand some of your post.

Copidosoma · « **Reply #10 on:** November 09, 2014, 18:36 »

I certainly don't know that this is the issue for certain but...

There are currently sanctions against Iran due to the ongoing nuclear program issues.
I don't know if these affect all trade but maybe you are a victim of the companies just trying to make sure they aren't seen to be trading with Iran.

Unfortunately, things like these tend to affect people who don't directly control the policies.

http://www.international.gc.ca/sanctions/iran.aspx?lang=eng

Ramin · « **Reply #11 on:** November 09, 2014, 18:43 »

Quote from: Copidosoma on November 09, 2014, 18:36

I certainly don't know that this is the issue for certain but...

There are currently sanctions against Iran due to the ongoing nuclear program issues.
I don't know if these affect all trade but maybe you are a victim of the companies just trying to make sure they aren't seen to be trading with Iran.

Unfortunately, things like these tend to affect people who don't directly control the policies.

http://www.international.gc.ca/sanctions/iran.aspx?lang=eng

Hi,
Unfortunately, I agree with you. Policy can be seen everywhere and people who have nothing to do with politics are victims.

fritz · « **Reply #12 on:** November 09, 2014, 19:09 »

I don't believe that any stock agency will suspend account simply because country origin! Must be some other reason for such action?

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #13 on:** November 09, 2014, 19:13 »

Maybe I missed it but "Closing account as per our email to you on October 7, 2014"

What did that email say?

Ramin · « **Reply #14 on:** November 09, 2014, 19:18 »

Quote from: fritz on November 09, 2014, 19:09

I don't believe that any stock agency will suspend account simply because country origin! Must be some other reason for such action?

Please go to this link and see the countries list:
https://secure.istockphoto.com/join/aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy5pc3RvY2twaG90by5jb20lMkZwaG90b3MlMkYzZCUyQm1hbiUyQmNoYXJhY3RlciUzRmZhY2V0cyUzRCU3QiUyNTIyMzQlMjUyMiUzQSU1QiUyNTIyMSUyNTIyJTJDJTI1MjI3JTI1MjIlMkMlMjUyMjglMjUyMiU1RCUyQyUyNTIyMzUlMjUyMiUzQSU1QiUyNTIyM2QlMjUyMG1hbiUyNTIwY2hhcmFjdGVyJTI1MjIlNUQlN0Q=

You will not see the name of my country. A few days ago there was.

ShadySue · « **Reply #15 on:** November 09, 2014, 19:29 »

Quote from: fritz on November 09, 2014, 19:09

I don't believe that any stock agency will suspend account simply because country origin! Must be some other reason for such action?

If it was legally required of them, they'd have no option. Even if e.g.having an Iranian contributor was borderline, iS has a history of building a fence around the Law.

I just googled 'iStock country: Iran member', which would be on any Iranian contributor's home page.

One of the contributors who showed up in that search now has country: Afghanistan; another (membername: amir_np)'s port and homepage seem to have gone (404 error), similarly another member Eyeshut, also: Pouya_Roma and ahmad-karbakhsh.

(That said, SJL's account was closed but his homepage is still up there)

PixelBytes · « **Reply #16 on:** November 09, 2014, 19:52 »

Quote from: Copidosoma on November 09, 2014, 18:36

I certainly don't know that this is the issue for certain but...

There are currently sanctions against Iran due to the ongoing nuclear program issues.
I don't know if these affect all trade but maybe you are a victim of the companies just trying to make sure they aren't seen to be trading with Iran.

Unfortunately, things like these tend to affect people who don't directly control the policies.

http://www.international.gc.ca/sanctions/iran.aspx?lang=eng

If that is the case, then I am very sorry to hear Ramin is having his living threatened by geopolitical situations he has no control over. I hope things improve and the policy changes.

gostwyck · « **Reply #17 on:** November 09, 2014, 20:06 »

Quote from: PixelBytes on November 09, 2014, 19:52

I hope things improve and the policy changes.

Which policy do you want changed? The limitation of imports/exports to Iran or the nuclear proliferation thingy?

ijansempoi · « **Reply #18 on:** November 09, 2014, 20:11 »

Quote from: fritz on November 09, 2014, 19:09

I don't believe that any stock agency will suspend account simply because country origin! Must be some other reason for such action?

Paypal will instantly disable your account when logging in from US sanctioned countries. God bless America and no one else !

WooStock · « **Reply #19 on:** November 09, 2014, 20:24 »

Quote from: Ramin on November 09, 2014, 17:50

No, I had not two accounts. My first member name was "RaminKhojasteh" and then I sent an email to iStock team for changing my member name to "Ramin-3D".
Before that I became an exclusive contributor on the iStock, I had a few accounts in other royalty sites: Shutterstock, fotolia, dreamstime, and ... and shutterstock & fotolia & dreamstime closed my account at the same time and no reply to my emails.

You are an IS exclusive contributor , but you have accounts at other agencies at the same time?

gostwyck · « **Reply #20 on:** November 09, 2014, 20:26 »

Quote from: ijansempoi on November 09, 2014, 20:11

Quote from: fritz on November 09, 2014, 19:09
I don't believe that any stock agency will suspend account simply because country origin! Must be some other reason for such action?

Paypal will instantly disable your account when logging in from US sanctioned countries. God bless America and no one else !

Sorry but what is your point? Are you saying that US-based businesses should not abide by US foreign policy and the law?

goober · « **Reply #21 on:** November 09, 2014, 21:21 »

start your own iranstockphoto and block the USA.

Hobostocker · « **Reply #22 on:** November 09, 2014, 23:00 »

so a stocker living in KABUL is ok while anyone from Iran is now a pariah ??

what the he-ll ... americans are a laughing stock.

by the way, yeah there were sanctions even 15 yrs ago for some countries and i remember our marketing manager in a well known US corp selling our products to Dubai and Kuwait as a loophole to skip the sanctions and the trade regulations, basically using middlemen or "selling by proxy".

the OP could see if he can open a bank account in one of the gulf countries or even in pakistan or afghanistan and reupload all his portfolio in a fresh new account.

klsbear · « **Reply #23 on:** November 10, 2014, 00:14 »

Quote from: Hobostocker on November 09, 2014, 23:00

so a stocker living in KABUL is ok while anyone from Iran is now a pariah ??

what the he-ll ... americans are a laughing stock.

by the way, yeah there were sanctions even 15 yrs ago for some countries and i remember our marketing manager in a well known US corp selling our products to Dubai and Kuwait as a loophole to skip the sanctions and the trade regulations, basically using middlemen or "selling by proxy".

the OP could see if he can open a bank account in one of the gulf countries or even in pakistan or afghanistan and reupload all his portfolio in a fresh new account.

Parent company Getty may be US based, but isn't iStock in Canada? Seems they follow Canadian tax regulations. Are they following Canadian sanctions too?

PixelBytes · « **Reply #24 on:** November 10, 2014, 00:24 »

Quote from: gostwyck on November 09, 2014, 20:06

Quote from: PixelBytes on November 09, 2014, 19:52
I hope things improve and the policy changes.

Which policy do you want changed? The limitation of imports/exports to Iran or the nuclear proliferation thingy?

It's a bit of a stretch to claim a stock portfolio of 3d renders which has been online for over 5 years is contributing to nuclear proliferation. I feel bad for this guy getting caught in the crossfire of international affairs of state. Empathy must be a foreign concept to you if you can't understand that.

MicrostockGroup Sponsors

Author Topic: iStock closed my account, because I'm from "Iran". (Read 36859 times)

Ramin

tickstock

gostwyck

Ramin

Ramin

gostwyck

PixelBytes

Ramin

Ramin

Ramin

Copidosoma

Ramin

fritz

Uncle Pete

Ramin

ShadySue

PixelBytes

gostwyck

ijansempoi

WooStock

gostwyck

goober

Hobostocker

klsbear

PixelBytes

Related Topics

Sponsors

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors