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Author Topic: Dreamstime Files Lawsuit Against Google  (Read 36265 times)

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« on: April 01, 2018, 11:11 »
+6
We all know about the downturn in sales.
Dreamstime says Google is to blame.

Dreamstime Files Lawsuit Against Google Claiming the Search Giant Threatens its Survival


« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2018, 11:21 »
+12
Interesting! They'll get nothing, of course, but at least suits like this will start to expose Google's real business practices to daylight.  And I think when that happens, Google will make Facebook look like a bunch of choir boys by comparison.   

« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2018, 15:36 »
+1
Google makes fun of everyone, for example with their pseudo algorithm (algori$hm), they need a powerful kick just like Facebook

Shelma1

  • stockcoalition.org
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2018, 15:48 »
+5
SS and FT do the same thing to us. Just sayin'.

« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2018, 15:58 »
+1
So... do we get X% of whatever they win?

« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2018, 16:19 »
+4
Dreamstime is its own worst enemy
I wonder how they feel like the little guy being stepped on by the big greedy corporation?

dpimborough

« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2018, 16:30 »
+8
Of course they'll not win but it just goes to show the search manipulation and algorithm deniers out there that searches are twisted and manipulated.

« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2018, 16:58 »
0
Quote
Dreamstime claims that they have spent tens of millions of dollars on Googles advertising and other services, but that Google only provided its services selectively to benefit itself at Dreamstimes expense.


Well, with such an argument, they will go down, given Google makes a separation between its SEA and SEO systems and given that Google SEA's systems (apart from several exceptions), are based on a CPC system corrected with quality indicators. So, no matter how much DT was investing in SEA on Google, there were no reasons for them to be favoured compared to competitors.

Then, to counter this argument, they could try to prove that the Google system is biased, and that they are privileging some advertisers... but they wouldn't be the first ones to try and fail.

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2018, 09:56 »
+2
So... do we get X% of whatever they win?

X% of nothing is still nothing. But maybe if you pay for the lawyers, you can insure you get a cut.  ;)

Filing a lawsuit is proof of nothing, just that Dreamstime is unhappy. I like the jury trial, that's a smart move. We'll have to see, but I can understand why DT has filed at this point. Sales down, income down, rank down, the future isn't looking to prosperous. If the next quote, from their claim, is true, even more reason to go all in.

"47. Google also plans to enter the online stock photography business segment directly..." That should be interesting if true.

Partnership - adwords with Shutterstock: https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/280120/google-shutterstock-licensing-deal-automatically.html Down at the bottom, "Google joins AOL, Salesforce and Sprinklr in integrating Shutterstock search capabilities directly into their products." Shouldn't we be seeing an income increase?

Basically, DT is claiming that Google cooks the results to benefit SS and IS and adds Adobe to the group, even though Adobe doesn't pay for the advantage. DT's main market is discounted images. Called "competitive pricing" in the lawsuit. DT says there's a monopoly and anti-trust violations involved because of the way Google treats Dreamstime, because Google profits from the others higher rank. DT says new buyers have declined 30% since the "manipulated" drop in the search ranking. DT's drop from page one and further down has in effect reduced their clicks from the search, 95%. Also "low cost per acquisition advertisements were being removed" for non-compliance while higher cost, similar ads were allowed to stay.

The antitrust part is pretty much general ways that Google is in violation. DT also asserts that "overcharged and over delivered AdWords to
Dreamstime" which isn't the first time I've read a complaint from an advertiser about AdWords costs and contracts. Amusing, if any of this can be that, DT claims unfair removal of ads when SS ran similar ads. When DT wrote to Google to complain, they were ignored. Hey how does that feel?  :)

I use Bing for my default search. I enjoy the points and can get gift cards for places, just for doing what I do anyway, which is search the web.




How's SS doing? Some people have noticed that the drop in sales for us has been connected to the drop in the rank.
SS

DT


I don't know how much to base on Alexa graphs and I don't have an account, so that's about all I can see.

« Last Edit: October 15, 2019, 09:17 by Uncle Pete »

« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2018, 11:33 »
+6
I googled "Dreamstime sues Google" and there was nothing recent - mostly the past legal challenges to the way Google behaves. Limiting the search to just the last week didn't improve things. Before concluding Google was burying the news on purpose, I thought I'd try Bing - nothing.

Perhaps suits against Google are so common that none of the business trade rags find this newsworthy? Google's parasitic, but given all the changes they make all the time, it'll be hard to prove that any changes they made that hurt Dreamstime were specifically directed at them.

It may well be that Google's recent changes hurt Dreamstime - and other stock agencies - but Dreamstime doomed itself long before 2015, and they never did better than a perennial #3 in the earnings rankings. The biggest problem, IMO, was their insane pricing policies - way, way too complex. They also had some bizarre games with search rankings on their own site (going back years, to 2007/8)  that probably didn't help the customer get the best results.

Given Google's deep pockets and army of lawyers, I can't see anything good coming out of this.

« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2018, 11:51 »
0
1.04.

« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2018, 12:07 »
+8
I've learned something about Google advertising recently because I tried running some ads for print sales. And I've had exchanges with people who know more about it.  Many advertisers have concluded that it's a waste of money and that Google is running all sorts of games.  You have no way of knowing what you're actually getting for your money, Google can show you any numbers they want, you can't verify anything.


« Last Edit: April 02, 2018, 15:07 by stockastic »

« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2018, 09:36 »
0
.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2018, 04:43 by Microstock Posts »

« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2018, 17:13 »
+2
I've learned something about Google advertising recently because I tried running some ads for print sales. And I've had exchanges with people who know more about it.  Many advertisers have concluded that it's a waste of money and that Google is running all sorts of games.  You have no way of knowing what you're actually getting for your money, Google can show you any numbers they want, you can't verify anything.

I've heard the same including unusual views and click farms to make Google more money as you use your budget. Same 3 results as others but using dogpile I hit this one https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/candce/5:2018cv01910/324533/ nothing more. Dreamstime.com, LLC v. Google, LLC Put that into Bing and many.

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2018, 09:16 »
+2
I've learned something about Google advertising recently because I tried running some ads for print sales. And I've had exchanges with people who know more about it.  Many advertisers have concluded that it's a waste of money and that Google is running all sorts of games.  You have no way of knowing what you're actually getting for your money, Google can show you any numbers they want, you can't verify anything.

I've heard the same including unusual views and click farms to make Google more money as you use your budget. Same 3 results as others but using dogpile I hit this one https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/candce/5:2018cv01910/324533/ nothing more. Dreamstime.com, LLC v. Google, LLC Put that into Bing and many.

All docket listings = https://www.bing.com/search?form=MOZPSB&pc=MOZO&q=Dreamstime.com%2C+LLC+v.+Google%2C+LLC  only news comes from us. Does that say anything about, how little the other news media cares about Microstock, Dreamstime, or just another Google lawsuit?

Good find Microstock Posts!

« Reply #15 on: April 06, 2018, 04:55 »
+2
Poor DT tries to earn money from big fat G.
World is very predictive.

« Reply #16 on: September 07, 2018, 04:53 »
+3
Getting close to a verdict..

"U.S. District Judge William Alsup heard about an hour of argument on Google's motion to dismiss Dreamstime's suit alleging its stock images were intentionally ranked below those of rivals..."

https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1080298/stock-photo-co-gets-one-shot-at-google-antitrust-suit

nobody

« Reply #17 on: September 07, 2018, 07:18 »
0
If Dreamstime wins do we get 'Back Pay'  8)



derek

    This user is banned.
« Reply #18 on: September 07, 2018, 11:37 »
+1
Sammy! we are not alone in our theories!  right now there is a distributor collecting evidence and in contact with Lawyers to see if there are grounds to file a suit against SS for exactly what we have been talking about in dozens of threads, stopping photographers images and earnings or what we call capping earnings!

btw I'm not a member of that distributor, just saying! 

Our entire business may it be micro or anything to do with Royalty free lends itself to all kind of skull duggery thats for sure!

msg2018

« Reply #19 on: September 07, 2018, 12:17 »
0
Even assuming* earnings are capped at SS, there's a fundamental difference between Google allegedly damaging a third party (Dreamstime) to favour their new found partner (Getty), and SS allegedly controlling sales, despicable but probably not illegal. That said, this is just my opinion, I am not a lawyer and I would like to be proven wrong.

*I am still unconvinced, but this is not the point: as you said there are already many other threads.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2018, 12:26 by msg2018 »

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #20 on: September 07, 2018, 16:05 »
0
Even assuming* earnings are capped at SS, there's a fundamental difference between Google allegedly damaging a third party (Dreamstime) to favour their new found partner (Getty), and SS allegedly controlling sales, despicable but probably not illegal. That said, this is just my opinion, I am not a lawyer and I would like to be proven wrong.

*I am still unconvinced, but this is not the point: as you said there are already many other threads.

That's because any thread is a chance for Derek to write something disparaging about SS and accuse them of "skull duggery" of some sort. That never changes.  :)

I can't prove that something doesn't exist, we can't prove a negative, so proving Derek/Chris wrong is impossible. Proving you wrong, is impossible. The idea is, the person making the claim needs to present evidence and facts that show their claims are a fact and true. (unless it's a microstock conspiracy...)  ;)


« Reply #21 on: September 07, 2018, 18:08 »
0
Sammy! we are not alone in our theories!  right now there is a distributor collecting evidence and in contact with Lawyers to see if there are grounds to file a suit against SS for exactly what we have been talking about in dozens of threads, stopping photographers images and earnings or what we call capping earnings!

btw I'm not a member of that distributor, just saying! 

Our entire business may it be micro or anything to do with Royalty free lends itself to all kind of skull duggery thats for sure!

So what happens if the evidence they collect points to a safety net not a cap and is consequently removed and their sales collapse, will you be more happy with this more equitable state of affairs?  Be careful what  you ask for!

derek

    This user is banned.
« Reply #22 on: September 08, 2018, 01:23 »
0
Sammy! we are not alone in our theories!  right now there is a distributor collecting evidence and in contact with Lawyers to see if there are grounds to file a suit against SS for exactly what we have been talking about in dozens of threads, stopping photographers images and earnings or what we call capping earnings!

btw I'm not a member of that distributor, just saying! 

Our entire business may it be micro or anything to do with Royalty free lends itself to all kind of skull duggery thats for sure!

So what happens if the evidence they collect points to a safety net not a cap and is consequently removed and their sales collapse, will you be more happy with this more equitable state of affairs?  Be careful what  you ask for!

I dont care! I'm out of it!...IMO there is nothing that can make the contributors situation worse or better! about DT and Google?  it was bloody obvious Google somehow would screw the whole thing so I really dont know what DT was ever thinking about??

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #23 on: September 08, 2018, 08:53 »
0
Anyone have a link that's not pay? Or do I need to read more than what's already in the brief document?
This is also interesting:

Companies

    Getty Images Inc.
    Google Inc.
    Shutterstock Inc.
    Yahoo! Inc.

"A California federal judge on Thursday said he will give stock photography company Dreamstime.com LLC one shot at a sprawling antitrust suit alleging Google LLC stifles access to Dreamstime's images in search results, giving it the option to amend its complaint before he rules on a dismissal bid or submit the filing knowing "that would be it."

Docket log here:  https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/candce/3:2018cv01910/324533

 Jury Demanded By: Plaintiff

Interesting also Certificate of Interested Entities by Dreamstime.com, LLC identifying Other Affiliate Serban Enache, Other Affiliate Dragos Jianu, Other Affiliate Jeff Prescott for Dreamstime.com, LLC.

Interesting Alsup is a cameras in the courtroom judge. I didn't follow up how to watch.  http://cand.uscourts.gov/cameras

If you want to read the complaint, I just posted it here on one of my Cobweb sites:  http://crapstock.com/

Chichikov

« Reply #24 on: September 08, 2018, 10:18 »
+3
If Dreamstime wins do we get 'Back Pay'  8)

In your dreams, but not in your dreamstime


 

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