OR..... the feeling of power 

Do they really administrate for free, or are they paid? That is something that perhaps only administrators at iStockphoto are in a position to answer. I see that some or at least one iStockphoto administrator posts on these forums too.

When asked about iStockphoto forum administration policy, the administrators often (at least according to the results of my search) use the rational that Istockphoto is a commercial enterprise.

IS is on a thin ice if they are not paying. Do not remember exactly, I believe it was AOL who tried this...

I assume they are paid, but to be honest, as long as I am paid I don't worry about it much either way

IS is on a thin ice if they are not paying. Do not remember exactly, I believe it was AOL who tried this...

And Prodigy, who later did pay forum moderators / community leaders, but the "special contributors" and information librarians got free accounts in exchange for their contributions.

Whether IS or any other microstock forum, pays or doesn't, is of little interest to me. If they do pay, it's not much.  

I may be stupid, but I used to be a moderator for free in one site.  There were no obligations, of course.

Also in TotallyPhotos everyone was a reviewer for free.

Well, my interest was that, there is something rather unusual about the social interaction on the forums.
The explanation for style of interaction at the iStockforums, appears to be that there forums are part of a
commericial enterprise. On the contrary, I think that the atmosphere exists rather is because the majority of
the administrators are neither part of a commercial enterprise, nor merely there for the interest and
information like the users, but empowered without having anything to loose. The administrators have
unequivocal power but their pay packet is not on the line. I guess that there are some administrators,
based in Calgary, that are commercially involved. I hope they take a step back and think about the PR
message that they are sending from a commercial point of view, and that the administrators get paid.

Timtak if you are saying we should get paid more I'm not going to argue that

I come here to commiserate, in spirit if nothing else, with Leaf and others who have a hard time keeping things focused or at least light.

I can appreciate that there are also a lot of people who have suffered the hammer via our forums a number of times, or even suffered some form of indignity via the mob mentality that occurs from time to time. Yes, there are lots of people who try and show support for IS and there are others who come here and spread garbage about the community. That's fine, we don't lose to much sleep. It's pretty telling when people post without letting us know who they are. I mean, if you can form an actual argument and stick it to us without getting emotional, or picking on other contributors your comments are welcome.

Some of you may feel that things never change at IS, that you will suffer the hammer without provocation. The reality is we let people post as long as they act civil. It's when people lose their sh*t that we reaign things in.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to leave a note that people may or may not read. I love to see people bash us and then still stick around to request a payment. Furthermore, I don't care if you hate us love us or think we are apart of the problem, because at the end of the day we started this Microstock thingy and are happy to have helped all of you along the way.

The administrators post quite a lot too.

I have made cracks myself about censoring in IS forums....but then I had a great discussion with a relative who owns his own company and who censors what his employees talk about in regards to the company on facebook and other online media.

my uncle made an amazing point, one I wish I had thought of myself. why . should iStock let someone bitch and moan, subjectively at that, and essentially libel the company publicly? they don't have to and should not. and frankly, as someone who probably came very close to getting myself banned when I was looking for answers after a sales plummet, I can see things from their perspective and I agree with them.

the people participating in the forums are engaging in colleague-oriented banter and comradery. sure, newbies come into the forums in order to get known, the same way they would come into the lunch room on day one in a new office.

what is most amazing to me is that those who complain about the iStock forums, never acknowledge the help, critiquing, advice and information that is also constantly traded in the IS forums. most of my learning has been done in the forums.

taking the attitiude that the IS forums are trite and censored is so old, and almost completely inaccurate.

If you keep the criticism constructive or at least not destructive they seem to be okay with it. 

I think this basically works for any site.  Express your point of view politely.  I was never banned or locked.  DT locked a thread I started with a suggestion about subs, FT deleted one answer I posted about the site changes, but in many other occasions my critics were kept in the forum.

But if you are aggressive, it is expected that they will not allow this.