MicrostockGroup

Quite rude indeed. It's funny though... the Title say Calm down and he doesn't sound like a calm guy at all while writing this PoS post. I can't believe a chairman of a big company like SS gives an obnoxiously rude answer like that to the very people who allows him to make money and tun his business. He needs a serious kick in the butt or  a good slap on the face IMO. That's what my mom would have given me if I had answer someone like this.

Hmm... there is some inconsistencies regarding the interpretations of these US tax laws (citizens/residents or not, treaty countries or not, legal proof feedback of IRS taxes in the future (to get refunds in country of origin), the difference between ITIN forms for companies and individuals (as of now the mass is focused on the later with no word on the course to take if a submitter is legally a or working via a business entity) and lots of smaller details that will surely be cleared out in due time.

I can to some extent understand SS's concerns that the IRS might in the future take legal action against them for conducting illegal tax activities (open to debate, of course), but I've not read one single time about any concerns regarding retroactive taxation in this particular case. Why now if the law hasn't changed? Bear in mind, because from a legal perspective it's blattantly clear, that if the IRS decides to scrutinize Shutterstock's activities from a tax evasion perspective, the end is already at their doorsteps. If you're a company following a certain tax jurisdiction, you can't just start paying a particular tax in the middle of nowhere. The IRS will check past tax payment flows and I'm quite sure this means paying 30% of foreign submitters income (if their interpretation of such laws is correct) for ALL THE PAST YEARS since the specific law is in effect (it is not a new law, keep that in mind). Can you imagine the consequences of such a debt?

That's what most scares me, not the ITIN/W8 bureocraticism.

I still hope for the best both for SS and all of us depending on their business.

No Fotolia and DT are not US-Companies and not based in US they now have also US Offices thats all. The only agencies i see for this kind of action are Bigstock and 123RF maybe VMP too.
I think Jon Oringer underestimate the effect of this, SS will loose contributors AND buyers in the long term because of this.

I'm not really understanding the backlash against SS. This is a US regulation, and SS in no way benefits from this. This is not putting more money in their pockets, and I'm sure it's a pain in the ass for them too!

They just got the short end of the stick here. The other major micro's (DT, IS, FT, etc) have the advantage of being headquartered outside of the US.

Yeah, it sucks for non-US contributors, but...it's the cost of doing business.

Ultimately this could probably lead to some ss employees being fired as there will be a lot less images, accounts and customers to look after. This would be negative for USA gov in the end. If all american companies need to go through this, no selfemployed smalltime artists or businessmen will ever want to do business with american companies.

perhaps he got rude out of despair. It would appear he does not see any other choice and now watches how the contributors threaten to leave or leave already. This would ruin Shutterstock and he is well aware of that.

Yes, to me it seems he has already expected and accepted this. Else I cannot understand why he would speak to people that bring money to his table in this manner.

If SS think that I'm going to spend any money whatsoever getting passports ID etc notorised or rubber stamped they have another thing coming. The simple fact for SS is that June 1st will see vast swathes of thier libray removed (including mine) and thier finances reduced accordingly. Call it what you want but it's all down to US protectionism for thier contributors and the big finger to any foreigners. After all 25c is an insult really - i only uploaded here whilst i was uploading to the others!!

I think it depends on which government you currently pay your taxes to. Paul Cowen posted something similar on the SS forum debate regarding this matter.

This thing doesn't affect me, but I was stunned by the rude and obnoxious rant posted by SS's CEO.  It really took my image of Shutterstock down to the floor.

It reminded me that there is no commitment by these companies whatsover.  You might invest a lot of time over a period of months or years in uploading, keywording and categorizing images on a microstock - then one day a guy decides he doesn't like your forum avatar and deletes your entire account.  

Holy cr@p.

There has to be a better way to sell stock photos than through web sites run by bad-tempered kids.  

As a Canadian it's actually more difficult dealing with iS than US based companies. Book keeping wise that is.

It would seam someone is banned from the SS forums already.... I really don't like how they handle this!

I'm not Leaf, but as far as I understand it, you are eligible for an EIN - as opposed to an ITIN - if you sell your photos as a registered business, even if it's a one man company. If you sell them as a private person you need an ITIN - at least that is my understanding...