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Microstock Photography Forum - General => Image Sleuth => Topic started by: muha on August 08, 2023, 06:33

Title: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: muha on August 08, 2023, 06:33
It has long been known that the shutterstock is full of fraudlent content and they are in no hurry to remove it. But they seem to encourage theft and refuse to admit the obvious.
For several years they have had a fraudulent image 1731403384 https://www.shutterstock.com/ru/image-photo/panoramic-view-lake-mountains-1731403384 (https://www.shutterstock.com/ru/image-photo/panoramic-view-lake-mountains-1731403384) ,
two of my photos are used there 60864760 https://www.shutterstock.com/ru/image-photo/mountain-lake-60864760 (https://www.shutterstock.com/ru/image-photo/mountain-lake-60864760)
and 34936861 https://www.shutterstock.com/ru/image-photo/mountain-lake-34936861 (https://www.shutterstock.com/ru/image-photo/mountain-lake-34936861)
I repeatedly wrote to them in different places about this and always received some kind of nonsense in response and an offer to write somewhere else, once they replied that the images are "not the same". I  wrote recently back in detail with attached a reference images and this is what they replied- "Upon review, the alleged infringed image id 1731403384 was compared to your accompanying image which demonstrates or exhibits they are "not the same" as our earlier reviewer Lynne had stated.
Thank you.".
I don’t understand what is happening at all, are they completely insolent and feel their impunity? Once they pretended to respect us, called us partners, and now they spit in the face of those who have been with them from the very beginning and thanks to whom they have become what they have become.
Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: DiscreetDuck on August 08, 2023, 07:04
It happened to me long time ago. They did nothing and ignored my claim. They earn the same from honest people and from thieves, and Money is the only rule for them. They are champions of bad faith, and the time wasted defending yourself will never be returned. When you contact them, you just feel like you're dealing with dishonest mental retards. Time have badly changed, and trust became a trap for honest people.  :-\
Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: muha on August 08, 2023, 08:07
Thieves steal from thieves and all this is in the database for years, no one cares. https://www.shutterstock.com/ru/image-photo/most-amazing-scenery-world-2003445029 (https://www.shutterstock.com/ru/image-photo/most-amazing-scenery-world-2003445029)
Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: kuriouskat on August 10, 2023, 02:51
This one is apt, and says "Break the Rules". He clearly did.......
Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: gnirtS on August 12, 2023, 01:25
Id go as far as saying they really don't care about duplicate stolen images.

Their own engine literally identifies them for all to see (and from there the network of interlinked thief accounts) yet nothing seems to be done.

They have the technology as its literally showing the problem to every single potential buyer.

Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: muha on August 12, 2023, 05:43
You're absolutely right - it's a shame on them that their system sees, but their inspectors don't, I tried to tell them this a few years ago, but they just don't react. But still, if they heard you and you poked their noses into direct theft of the whole picture, they will remove the thief, another thing is when part of one image is used to create another, they brazenly say to your faces "not the same". It's amazing and some new level of shamelessness.
Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: gnirtS on August 12, 2023, 08:11
You're absolutely right - it's a shame on them that their system sees, but their inspectors don't, I tried to tell them this a few years ago, but they just don't react. But still, if they heard you and you poked their noses into direct theft of the whole picture, they will remove the thief, another thing is when part of one image is used to create another, they brazenly say to your faces "not the same". It's amazing and some new level of shamelessness.

I seriously doubt inspectors are involved at all in most approvals now.

Reported one dumb enough to post "rate my portfolio" on FB this week.  He'd used 2 images (other peoples on SS and pixa) blending in the middle with a gradient, added a vignette and some text quotes.
His defence was "its fine because i edited".
Reported him.
Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: Justanotherphotographer on August 12, 2023, 08:50
Yes, they suck. There's a vector portfolio on there that has a lot stolen images with a bit of shading added with line work. DMCA'd them about years ago, they weren't interested. They don't even give a s**t about the law. They should be taking the images down when sent a correctly completed DMCA take-down form, only reinstating if they get a counter-notice. That's the law if they want to claim to be a "platform" and immune from prosecution. They know they have us by the b*lls so they don’t care.
Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: U11 on August 12, 2023, 11:28
I repeatedly wrote to them in different places about this and always received some kind of nonsense in response and an offer to write somewhere else, once they replied that the images are "not the same".
In the past they were answering on twitter, but dont agree to "take it offline" and  dont believe to "our representatives will check this", keep pushing publicly to get it resolved 
Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: cuppy123 on November 22, 2023, 20:19
hi, added another image theft. sadly shutterstock doesn't does a thing these days


https://www.shutterstock.com/g/CreateImpact (https://www.shutterstock.com/g/CreateImpact)
Title: Re: Shutterstock encourages theft
Post by: graphicV on February 16, 2024, 07:43
This contributor stole almost half of my video portfolio:

https://www.shutterstock.com/g/AliSumbol/video (https://www.shutterstock.com/g/AliSumbol/video)

Check your files too.