I'm a new member here, although I've been reading these forums for several years. I have a very small portfolio at iStock and stopped uploading two years ago. However, the images I do have there were bringing in some useful change until whatever iStock did in September sent DLs over the cliff. And now this unbelievable Google/Getty thing.

I just wanted to say that I've already deactivated 48 files, mostly my MR images. I only have three more MR images, which are among my best-sellers, and I'll likely deactivate them on D-Day. It's not as painful as it might have been since earnings have taken such a nose-dive recently. (Ironic that by screwing up DLs and site functionality, iStock has actually made it easier for a lot of people to take the step of deactivating files, giving up the crown and/or shutting down their accounts.)

I also moved my Vetta images back to the regular collection -- only to be told that Getty doesn't have the ability to remove such Vetta images mirrored on their site, although they're "working on it." So I've lost the Vetta royalty and the images are still vulnerable to being sent over to Google. Wonderful.

I'm not sure it's worth continuing with microstock. Even if Getty backpedals to some extent (which I doubt), I don't see how it's possible to trust any promises they make, and it's clear that iStock has absolutely no control over these things, so whatever they say is meaningless. I will definitely drop my crown and close my account if it becomes clear that files in the regular iStock collection are going to be included in these kinds of "deals" in the future. If they bother to tell us...