Author Topic: Banned From Istock! What shall I do? (Read 11265 times)

ali_ashe · « **on:** January 22, 2007, 15:27 »

Hello all,

I've been a member of Istock for a year now, I signed up last Christmas just to try it out, and left my images to it. In the mean while I was studying hard (I'm a student) with no much free time, until summer comes along and I checked up on how my images were doing and added some new ones illustrations from my school projects in graphic design. Then I started back at university in October and things were going great. I was getting to have about 50 files, over 300 downloads, I made $100 and was bringing in about $40 a month!

But, when i logged in to check how things were going in November I got this message:

Quote

You have been banned from logging in for the following reason:

Hello, Please contact me at your earliest convenience. It has been brought to our attention that some of your submissions are potentially derivative versions of another artists works. Please contact me at your earliest convenience. Your account has been locked while we review your submissions. Regards, Chris McBurney~Lobo iStock International Inc

I received an email in reply saying that 3 of my files were potentially derivative versions of another artists works. I wrote back saying that I had searched the internet for inspiration for some of my designs, and I was working from some of them and had in fact uploaded those files in error and was happy for them to be removed.

I waited but didn't receive a reply to that so contacted them again in December, and received a reply in January saying:

Quote

The administration team at iStockphoto has closed your account privileges.:

It says at the bottom of the email to contact newbielink:mailto:[email protected] [nonactive] if I would like to discuss this with client relations, which I have done to ask if I will able to access my account again, to which I am waiting for the reply!

I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience? Its funny, I uploaded the same files to Dreamstime also, they spotted the error also and gave me a warning but just disabled the files very swiftly.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice because contacting istock is very slow! Does this mean I am banned forever? I had $100 dollars in my account, is that lost? Could I open another account with them?

Thanks for your help,

And I know no one means to break the rules I certainly didint, but I'd learn from my mistake and always stick to the rules!

Ali

GeoPappas · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2007, 15:53 »

Quote from: ali_ashe on January 22, 2007, 15:27

I wrote back saying that I had searched the internet for inspiration for some of my designs, and I was working from some of them and had in fact uploaded those files in error and was happy for them to be removed.

Did you upload someone else's files? If so, how do you "accidentally" do that?

leaf · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2007, 16:18 »

sounds like a bit of a pickle. Istock has quite a bit on their plate and i wouldn't expect an answer from them any time soon.

fotografer · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2007, 16:20 »

I'm just wondering why if dreamstime pointed out your 'error', then why didn't you immediatly disable them from istock.

leaf · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2007, 16:25 »

and how you managed to fill out all those boxes of keywords and "agreement to" things on istock not remembering that the image you were uploading wasn't one of the ones you spent a long time creating. Not trying to sound critical, but i am rather curious. I can't say i blame istock for at least being suspicious.

yingyang0 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2007, 16:37 »

Quote from: ali_ashe on January 22, 2007, 15:27

In the mean while I was studying hard (I'm a student) with no much free time, until summer comes along and I checked up on how my images were doing and added some new ones illustrations from my school projects in graphic design.

I wrote back saying that I had searched the internet for inspiration for some of my designs, and I was working from some of them and had in fact uploaded those files in error and was happy for them to be removed.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice because contacting istock is very slow! Does this mean I am banned forever? I had $100 dollars in my account, is that lost? Could I open another account with them?

So what you're saying is that you stole other people's designs, and pawned them off as your own at school. Then you turned around and sold them on two different sites. You're claim that you uploaded those files in error is questionable since you did it at two different sites with three or more images.

My advice, give up trying to get back on to iStock and be thankful that you didn't get sued!

litifeta · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2007, 16:47 »

I received an email in reply saying that 3 of my files were potentially derivative versions of another artists works.

This tells me someone has complained.

It says "derivative" versions which would suggested that your work is derived from another work.

How about you wait until you hear back from iStock before we all pass judgement.

as a wise man once said: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

leaf · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2007, 16:53 »

Ali_ashi wrote that he uploaded the wrong files.. uploaded the ones he downloaded from the internet (the very files he downloaded, not files he created from inspiration from the downloaded images).. that is the reason I was asking about how it happened.

hopefully we have not scared him off now

ali_ashe · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2007, 17:09 »

Hello,

Thanks for your replies,

Just to clear things up, I was working with hennas tattoes as part of a design, I traced some images I'd found on the intenet as background research, along with my own designs and photographs (the images from the internet weren't used as part of my work), but I was careless and the derivative files got in with the files I wanted to upload, as I did them in bulk.

Thanks for your concern leaf, but I kinda deserve the criticism, it was my own fault, I just ruined a good thing by being careless! Now i have to live with the consequenses and give up on istock probably, which is a shame cus its my favourite micro stock site!

ali

P.S fotografer - Dreamstime didn't point them out until istock had suspended my account!

eendicott · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2007, 21:30 »

No sympathy from me about the situation (having been on the end having files stolen from me) but at the very least, I would recommend calling iStock on the telephone. I've had a few discussions with their office and resolutions have come relatively quickly.

leaf · « **Reply #10 on:** January 23, 2007, 07:41 »

ok, well i do have to admit that 50 henna designs might start to look alike. Nonetheless I wouldn't be too happy if someone tried to sell my images.

I would follow eendicotts advice and give istock a call.

Junaed · « **Reply #11 on:** February 07, 2007, 05:37 »

Some similar thing happend with me at dreamstime but I was not guilty of uploading other's designs. Dreamstime notified me and closed my accont saying that you have uploaded work that is not yours and we have other persons portfolio which have the same images. I wrote them and then called them and they said the images are not yours.I asked them to prove it but in return they asked me of my 3 files to give some raw files. I provided them the raw files and my account was active.

Freezingpictures · « **Reply #12 on:** February 07, 2007, 06:08 »

So aparently the other person was guilty copying your designs?

hymowitzer · « **Reply #13 on:** February 07, 2007, 14:12 »

I have no personal experience with this, however a lifetime of living has shown me that originality is the only safe way
to market, display, and otherwise promote my art work. Tracing, or copying freehand, the work of other people in any way,
is inviting doom.

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Author Topic: Banned From Istock! What shall I do? (Read 11265 times)

ali_ashe

GeoPappas

leaf

fotografer

leaf

yingyang0

litifeta

leaf

ali_ashe

eendicott

leaf

Junaed

Freezingpictures

hymowitzer

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