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Author Topic: Portfolio on Dollar Photo Club even after opting out  (Read 37314 times)

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« Reply #100 on: May 27, 2015, 07:29 »
+14
My images now seem to have disappeared from DPC. I find it very hard to believe that "one day" was the same day we noticed what they were doing.

I agree. Now, those who choose to stay with Fotolia will need to be looking over their shoulders and checking DPC daily. They will try to get away with it again.  Their track record over the years is proof enough for me that this was intentional. I am so glad I am no longer with this unethical company.


« Reply #101 on: May 27, 2015, 07:31 »
+10
If this happens again, I will try to download one image to check if they're indeed 'not available to customers'.

« Reply #102 on: May 27, 2015, 07:38 »
+11
They SAY they weren't available for purchase, but what if they were? Hundreds of thousands of images available for a day...wouldn't take too many sales for them to beef up their income, without paying you your royalty. Kind of like when the phone company charges .10 for something that can't be accounted for...10 cents on one bill isn't worth the grief of finding out what it is and getting it removed. 10 cents times the number of customers the phone co. has and voila, a cool extra million dollars.

I didnt trust Fotolia LONG before DPC and removed my images back then. I don't see how they can be trusted now.  >:(

« Reply #103 on: May 27, 2015, 08:15 »
+13
They SAY they weren't available for purchase, but what if they were? Hundreds of thousands of images available for a day...wouldn't take too many sales for them to beef up their income, without paying you your royalty. Kind of like when the phone company charges .10 for something that can't be accounted for...10 cents on one bill isn't worth the grief of finding out what it is and getting it removed. 10 cents times the number of customers the phone co. has and voila, a cool extra million dollars.

I didnt trust Fotolia LONG before DPC and removed my images back then. I don't see how they can be trusted now.  >:(

I totally agree.  I am in the process of deleting my entire port.  They have proven that they can't be trusted and I don't have time to check up on them every day.

« Reply #104 on: May 27, 2015, 09:22 »
+10

I totally agree.  I am in the process of deleting my entire port.  They have proven that they can't be trusted and I don't have time to check up on them every day.

I had my portfolio taken down there years ago but yesterday I STILL felt I had to go and check both Fotolia and DPC to make sure my stuff wasn't there. You can never be sure if a portfolio has been deleted by an agency or just taken offline (making it liable to suffer "search engine bugs").

« Reply #105 on: May 27, 2015, 09:26 »
+9
I have not received a response to my site mail, but I did receive a response to my Facebook post and also sincere apologies 

In the real world, if one business did this to another, a company the size of Adobe would issue a statement to the owners of the mismanaged content (craftily worded by their legal team).  Let's see if they just brush this under the carpet, after all who are we?  Just stupid nobodies with no voice and individually no significance.


Semmick Photo

« Reply #106 on: May 27, 2015, 09:29 »
+2

I totally agree.  I am in the process of deleting my entire port.  They have proven that they can't be trusted and I don't have time to check up on them every day.

I had my portfolio taken down there years ago but yesterday I STILL felt I had to go and check both Fotolia and DPC to make sure my stuff wasn't there. You can never be sure if a portfolio has been deleted by an agency or just taken offline (making it liable to suffer "search engine bugs").

DP, DT and BS keep your portfolio hidden and not delete it, as far as I have experienced. I dont know about others yet.

marthamarks

« Reply #107 on: May 27, 2015, 09:41 »
+4
I had my portfolio taken down there years ago but yesterday I STILL felt I had to go and check both Fotolia and DPC to make sure my stuff wasn't there. You can never be sure if a portfolio has been deleted by an agency or just taken offline (making it liable to suffer "search engine bugs").

Funny, but I did that same thing last night. Searched on FT and DPC for a few of my rarest images (Olive-sided Flycatcher, for example) and was delighted not to find them.

It's sad to be so paranoid, but given the experiences with this outfit, probably wise.

« Reply #108 on: May 27, 2015, 10:15 »
+1

Haha, can you believe I did the very same thing!

I had my portfolio taken down there years ago but yesterday I STILL felt I had to go and check both Fotolia and DPC to make sure my stuff wasn't there. You can never be sure if a portfolio has been deleted by an agency or just taken offline (making it liable to suffer "search engine bugs").

« Reply #109 on: May 27, 2015, 10:36 »
+1

Haha, can you believe I did the very same thing!

I had my portfolio taken down there years ago but yesterday I STILL felt I had to go and check both Fotolia and DPC to make sure my stuff wasn't there. You can never be sure if a portfolio has been deleted by an agency or just taken offline (making it liable to suffer "search engine bugs").

Add one more to that list. Easy to search underwater stuff.

« Reply #110 on: May 27, 2015, 10:52 »
+13
If you look here, DPC says they have 34 million images:

https://www.dollarphotoclub.com/Member/SignIn

But when you look at their FAQ, it says they have 26 million images:

https://www.dollarphotoclub.com/Info/FAQ

Lots of inconsistencies, but it's scary that they already have 26-34 million images.  I wish more people would opt out and destroy this perversion of microstock. 

Fotolia currently has 39 million images.

« Reply #111 on: May 27, 2015, 11:58 »
0

I totally agree.  I am in the process of deleting my entire port.  They have proven that they can't be trusted and I don't have time to check up on them every day.

I had my portfolio taken down there years ago but yesterday I STILL felt I had to go and check both Fotolia and DPC to make sure my stuff wasn't there. You can never be sure if a portfolio has been deleted by an agency or just taken offline (making it liable to suffer "search engine bugs").

Good idea, I think I will check too.


« Reply #113 on: May 27, 2015, 13:02 »
+5
See guys?  It was a simple bug.  Go put your pitchforks and flaming torches back into the woodshed, for whatever happens next week.  LOL 




« Reply #114 on: May 27, 2015, 13:31 »
+2
Mat, thank you for the personal response to my query on the FT site.  I have several reasons to have mistrust Fotolia, but am overjoyed that you are now full time contributor relations - in you I have the utmost respect and faith!  Regards

« Reply #115 on: May 27, 2015, 13:50 »
+12
Quote
To demonstrate our sincerity, any images belonging to opted out contributors that were downloaded while this bug was active were paid a subscription commission and now Fotolia will add a full resolution credit sale commission (standard license) to those effected.

See. The images WERE able to be downloaded.  ;)

« Reply #116 on: May 27, 2015, 14:06 »
+25
Hello everyone,

As you are aware, contributors that had opted out of Dollar Photo Club were inadvertently opted in for approximately 20 hours. Initially when the bug was discovered it was thought that this only impacted the search engine and that buyers received a 404 error if they attempted to purchase a license to use the file. We recently discovered however that some images were downloaded and licensed.

We are very sorry to everyone that this has impacted. To demonstrate our sincerity, any images belonging to opted out contributors that were downloaded while this bug was active were paid a subscription commission and now Fotolia will add a full resolution credit sale commission (standard license) to those effected. Those effected will see the additional commission in the next few days.

My role at Fotolia has recently changed. I have switched into a full-time contributor relations role. Contributors are an important part of Fotolia and I would like to personally prove that to you as we move forward. I can be reached directly via email should you have any questions, comments or concerns: [email protected]

Kind regards,

Mat Hayward

Mat,

I do appreciate you coming here as the official voice of Fotolia and acknowledging the mistake that was made.
I also appreciate that Fotolia wants to compensate contributors for files downloaded on DPC although they were opted out.

Being a long term member of this board you will know (and can easily read in this very thread - as well as in many others) how much trust was destroyed over the years by Fotolia.

And re-building trust is so much harder than losing it in the first place.

So if your statement "Contributors are an important part of Fotolia and I would like to personally prove that to you as we move forward." is sincere, talk to those who make the decisions at Fotolia (and Adobe) about what needs to be done.

Actions speak louder than words.
Re-building contributors trust requires showing them you care for their needs.
Essentially that means re-doing the anti-contributor moves Fotolia has introduced over the years.

I am a contributor to Fotolia since 2007, and I have experienced many such moves:
- lowering royalty percentages
- moving goalposts for next levels
- introducing subs without opt out
- counting subs only as a quarter download for achieving the next level
- introducing "monthly packs" - nothing else then slightly changed credit packs - and only paying subs royalties, resulting in insultingly low percentages
- introducing DPC, with the clear aim of grabbing marketshare from competitors at the cost of contributors (by aiming at low volume buyers and reducing credit sales royalties by subs royalties)
- ...

just to mention the most important moves.

A long list of to dos.

Let me repeat: Actions speak louder than words.

I believe the big majority of contributors reading here will not believe a word you say. Me included. Due to the history of FT, which never included any positive moves for contributors.

But once FT / Adobe starts to act, that might change.

Best Regards,
Dirk

Shelma1

  • stockcoalition.org
« Reply #117 on: May 27, 2015, 14:06 »
+16
Hello everyone,

As you are aware, contributors that had opted out of Dollar Photo Club were inadvertently opted in for approximately 20 hours. Initially when the bug was discovered it was thought that this only impacted the search engine and that buyers received a 404 error if they attempted to purchase a license to use the file. We recently discovered however that some images were downloaded and licensed.

We are very sorry to everyone that this has impacted. To demonstrate our sincerity, any images belonging to opted out contributors that were downloaded while this bug was active were paid a subscription commission and now Fotolia will add a full resolution credit sale commission (standard license) to those effected. Those effected will see the additional commission in the next few days.

My role at Fotolia has recently changed. I have switched into a full-time contributor relations role. Contributors are an important part of Fotolia and I would like to personally prove that to you as we move forward. I can be reached directly via email should you have any questions, comments or concerns: [email protected]

Kind regards,

Mat Hayward

First Fotolia started DPC and mirrored all content without notifying us. Then when we protested they made opting out available but offered people who opted in higher royalties, which we who opted out did not receive. Then our opted out lower royalty images were discovered on DPC anyway. Then Fotolia claimed it was only a one day glitch and customers could not purchase the images. Now it turns out they could and did purchase images. Thanks for stopping by, but I'm sure you'll understand why I don't believe a word of it.

Semmick Photo

« Reply #118 on: May 27, 2015, 14:33 »
+22
Lets not forget, people who try to stand up for their rights got booted off. Maybe I was the only one booted off, I dont know, but I wish they would see it from my perspective instead of kicking me out for wanting to protect my own property.

« Reply #119 on: May 27, 2015, 14:49 »
+6
what a big fat lie,   contributor is least important, i see, adobe is even worse.

close dpc and start to pay us honest

at this moment i  stop uploading to fotolia. happy?


Contributors are an important part of Fotolia and I would like to personally prove that to you as we move forward. I can be reached directly via email should you have any questions, comments or concerns: [email protected]

Kind regards,

Mat Hayward

« Reply #120 on: May 27, 2015, 14:55 »
+15
Lets not forget, people who try to stand up for their rights got booted off. Maybe I was the only one booted off, I dont know, but I wish they would see it from my perspective instead of kicking me out for wanting to protect my own property.

No you were not the only one.  Fotolia shut down my 8000 file portfolio the same day as yours.
Without notification or communication.

« Reply #121 on: May 27, 2015, 15:07 »
+15
Hello everyone,

As you are aware, contributors that had opted out of Dollar Photo Club were inadvertently opted in for approximately 20 hours. Initially when the bug was discovered it was thought that this only impacted the search engine and that buyers received a 404 error if they attempted to purchase a license to use the file. We recently discovered however that some images were downloaded and licensed.

We are very sorry to everyone that this has impacted. To demonstrate our sincerity, any images belonging to opted out contributors that were downloaded while this bug was active were paid a subscription commission and now Fotolia will add a full resolution credit sale commission (standard license) to those effected. Those effected will see the additional commission in the next few days.

My role at Fotolia has recently changed. I have switched into a full-time contributor relations role. Contributors are an important part of Fotolia and I would like to personally prove that to you as we move forward. I can be reached directly via email should you have any questions, comments or concerns: [email protected]

Kind regards,

Mat Hayward

So images COULD be downloaded without our consent and opted-out contributors WERE opted-in after all! Why doesn't this surprise me? Therefore, the reply I received from Fotolia was simply a made up load of nonsense:

"This was a bug within the search engine. Customers were not actually able to download the images
and the bug lasted only 1 day. Opted out contributors are still and have remained opted out the whole time."

Two lies in 3 sentences. Congratulations.

Whether it was a (very sad, sad) mistake or not, copyright WAS infringed and those affected should be compensated much much more than a lousy credit sale commission to make things right.
Not only have images been made available, affected contributors have also unwillingly contributed to this horrible nightmare of a program called DPC.

A company that is unable to protect our images from appearing in the wrong search results is in my opinion highly incompentent and untrustworthy.

« Reply #122 on: May 27, 2015, 15:20 »
+7
Lets not forget, people who try to stand up for their rights got booted off. Maybe I was the only one booted off, I dont know, but I wish they would see it from my perspective instead of kicking me out for wanting to protect my own property.

You weren't the only one. Speak truth and ye shall meet Fotolias grim reaper. They hate the truth and punish you for speaking it. I would not trust a single thing this agency says.

« Reply #123 on: May 27, 2015, 15:53 »
+11
"This was a bug within the search engine. Customers were not actually able to download the images
and the bug lasted only 1 day. Opted out contributors are still and have remained opted out the whole time."

Two lies in 3 sentences. Congratulations.
Two lies in three sentences assuming that "the bug (sic) lasted only one day" is true.

« Reply #124 on: May 27, 2015, 16:08 »
+12
If you look here, DPC says they have 34 million images:

https://www.dollarphotoclub.com/Member/SignIn

But when you look at their FAQ, it says they have 26 million images:

https://www.dollarphotoclub.com/Info/FAQ

Lots of inconsistencies, but it's scary that they already have 26-34 million images.  I wish more people would opt out and destroy this perversion of microstock. 

Fotolia currently has 39 million images.

They have 900 less as of today.  I left them the first photo I submitted to them back in 2005.  A photo of a butterfly....downloaded exactly once in 10 years.


 

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