MicrostockGroup

If this turns out to be a false accusation, then the accusers portfolio should be disabled an equal amount of time if not longer.  The OP is losing money every minute his portfolio is down.  The accuser should suffer the same consequence if it turns out to be false.

I understand SS's concern, but I think they should have disabled the ONE image until the OP had a chance to answer the accusation.  This really seems unfair.

That would be the obvious thing to do. The way they act, they punish the owner of the portfolio before they have all relevant documentation about the case. It's rather scary actually. They seem to be completely unpredictable.

The point is that we don't know if anything was stolen. This could just as easily be a false accusation. Why not suspend that one image while an investigation goes on then if he is found guilty decide whether to erase his portfolio or not.
You usually decide if someone's guilty before sentencing them!

Here is my response to Shutterstock:


Hi there!
Thanks a lot for first reply. Now i finaly know what is the problem.
 
Because I can't see the image on the shutterstock website i will describe it on other microstock - dreamstime. So according to the ID of the image, it looks like the problem is in this illustration:
 
http://www.dreamstime.com/set-of-green-recycle-labels-image5477928
 
Now your questions:
a) Image was created on my computer by myself. If you look into my portfolio, you will find that some parts from the illustration i created couple of months ago:
 
Shapes of the labels - all started with
round red label - http://www.dreamstime.com/labels-badges-and-stickers-image4196269 (02/02/2008 on dreamstime)
 
then i created other shapes:
 
rectangle - http://www.dreamstime.com/square-stickers-image4695797 - 02/28/2008
square - http://www.dreamstime.com/labels-badges-and-stickers-image4384628- 03/25/2008
triangle - http://www.dreamstime.com/triangle-labels-badges--image4793251 - 04/04/2008
 
then i started to use various symbols on the labels:
http://www.dreamstime.com/various--labels-badges-image4870164 - 04/12/2008 - as you can see there is also recycle sign
 
then i combined labels and traced symbols - here is an example of bar codes labels: http://www.dreamstime.com/set-of--labels-with-bar-codes-image5477690 - 06/17/2008
 
And after that i created the collection with recycle signs.
I didnt draw the recycle signs - one (arrows in triangle) i took from basic photohop shapes, for the others i just use my camera and created photos of real recycle signs from various products (tea box, shampoo and some packing box) - those are common symbols! If you want, i can send you all the photos... and then i just trace it in illustrator. That't all. This illustration was submited
 before 06/17/2008 (all those dates are from dreamstime, where the illustration were uploaded 1-2 weeks later).
 
b) I use adobe illustrator, if you want i can send you the original .ai files and also the .jpgs i used for tracing
c) Images were not modified, but done by myself
 
Petr.
P.S. let me please know, that you get this email, otherwise i will send it again...

What if it was a copyright violation eg. "the green point" from Germany is copyrighted and the copyright holder or representative contacted SS demanding removal. All SS needs to do is inform the creator of removal or give him/her a chance to convert to editorial licence. Brutal policy implementation on the part of SS. Guilty until proven otherwise. Reduces their liability. Shoot first ask questions later.

This was posted at StockXpert forum 1th of august :
http://stockxpert.com/forum.phtml?f=showtopic&n=15731
Six days later SS has nothing done.

HAHAHA if I steal this image, why this image has higher ID (was added later) than my? How it is possible?

This image id: 14725873
My image id: 14332861

But yes, it is very very similar.

Ok, if it is a problem of copyright, then the mistake did the reviewers and not me, so why . im the afflicted one? And why they deleted the whole portfolio?

Maybe because my are selling better

But finally all is solved:

Dear Petr,

(I apologize for not contacting you sooner.)

Please reference this url for review:  http://www.greendotcompliance.eu/en/common-questions.php#using

* The recycling arrow symbol at the url above is a protected work.

You have some inspired images with this arrow recycling image in your portfolio. From your response to me now, I believe that this appears to be an innocent infraction. However, you need to delete these arrow symbols from your portfolio as the inspiration is still too similar.

Please remove any and all images from your portfolio with the arrow symbol right away.

Your account has been reactivated with full privileges.


My portfolio is back!
HEUREKA.
I just hope, that my images will be on same positions like before.

And now im going to pub for some beer... i think i really NEED it

Thanks to all you guys for support, without you i would never get any response from shutterstock.

Yeah, I love when on the forums they'll say something like "we answer ALL submitter emails."  That's simply not true.

Good for you!

Had it not been for your misfortune, a lot of us probably never would have known that symbol is trademarked logo.  It looks like a simple universal symbol. 

I wouldn't discount SS over this or any of their other little quirks.  I don't think there's a single micro site that has it completely together when it comes to the treatment of contributors.  SS is one of the better ones actually.  Dreamstime would probably be the next in line. 

Point is they all have issues that you have to deal with if you want to sell microstock.  As the industry evolves hopefully contributor treatment will improve.

This is business and photographer and agency are partners. They are not my employer and Im not their employee or slave. In most of the countries across globe you must first prove someone IS guilty before you do legal steps.

There is simply no excuse for what SS did and it is very clear example how much their value their contributors. Keep that always in mind when you upload there - its not first nor last case.