Author Topic: Shutterstock closes doors to third party apps?! (Read 11228 times)

leaf · « **on:** May 04, 2009, 16:03 »

I just logged into shutterstock and noticed that they have a security code (messed up text in an image file) to log on now. It seems this is an effort to stop third party applications from automatically accessing shutterstock accounts and downloading earnings information.

Will this be a problem for lookstat and picniche?

leaf · « **Reply #1 on:** May 04, 2009, 16:07 »

ahh.. i see shutterstock made an announcement on their forum. It also appears that they are willing to work with third party applications on a case by case basis (nice to hear)

Quote

To All Submitters:

A number of software companies are collecting Submit site usernames/passwords from our submitters. These companies then use the info to access our Submit site and collect stats or upload content on behalf of that submitter. For a variety of reasons, and even if the submitter has given permission, we cannot permit this kind of uncontrolled Submit site access. These bots slow down our Submit site for everyone, and pose serious security risks to you since your payment details are available to them once they login to the Submit site on your behalf.

To prevent this, we are installing the http://recaptcha.net/ captcha system on the Submit site login page. Submitters will have to enter the captcha along with their username and password for Submit site access. We trust you will agree that this small additional required step is worthwhile if it will ensure the performance of the Submit site and, most importantly, in order to keep your private payment details secure. We may take other steps in the future as necessary to prevent this type of third party access.

We are happy to evaluate the requests for access to our data by third parties on a case by case basis. That way, if approved, we can provide separate access to only the relevant data, while keeping the rest secure and private. Any third party who wants access is welcome to submit an application to us at [email protected].

Please keep in mind that providing your username and password to a 3rd party content distribution tool or statistical service should be avoided. If you have done this already, we encourage you to change your password immediately and keep it private. Shutterstock can not control the security of your information if you provide it to another company or individual.

This captcha is being added with performance, security, and privacy as our goals. If you are concerned about a particular Third Party application, please notify us at [email protected].

As always, we thank you for allowing us to represent your content.

Best Regards,

Shutterstock

I think this is a good move by shutterstock, hopefully they are able to cooperate with the likes of Lookstat.

Xalanx · « **Reply #2 on:** May 04, 2009, 16:13 »

picniche won't be affected because it just uses the stats page AFTER you normally login. So it'll work, you'll login on SS and you know the session is valid for many hours and therefore you can get the stats through this plugin. It's like refreshing the page yourself.
As for Lookstat, it does sound like bad news indeed.

eppic · « **Reply #3 on:** May 04, 2009, 23:29 »

I'm trying to update my SS stats with Cushystock and it doesn't seem to work, but then Cushystock is buggy anyway.

Bateleur · « **Reply #4 on:** May 04, 2009, 23:59 »

A bit annoying that you have to do the extra step now, but otherwise doesn't affect me.

Call me ultra-cautious but I've never been happy with the idea of giving a third party access to my accounts.

null · « **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2009, 00:33 »

Quote from: leaf on May 04, 2009, 16:03

Will this be a problem for lookstat and picniche?

It crossed my mind from the moment I saw the Captcha (see other thread). Isyndica will have problems too when they want to get hold of the categorizing. Prostockmaster probably too. Dreamstime has set the example.

Dreamframer · « **Reply #6 on:** May 05, 2009, 05:21 »

Quote from: Xalanx on May 04, 2009, 16:13

picniche won't be affected because it just uses the stats page AFTER you normally login. So it'll work, you'll login on SS and you know the session is valid for many hours and therefore you can get the stats through this plugin. It's like refreshing the page yourself.
As for Lookstat, it does sound like bad news indeed.

I can't open SS earnings page when I click on PicNiche earnings button. Seems like it is showing earnings, but I can't open the page...is it because of security code, or it's something else?

Xalanx · « **Reply #7 on:** May 05, 2009, 07:24 »

Quote from: Whitechild on May 05, 2009, 05:21

Quote from: Xalanx on May 04, 2009, 16:13
picniche won't be affected because it just uses the stats page AFTER you normally login. So it'll work, you'll login on SS and you know the session is valid for many hours and therefore you can get the stats through this plugin. It's like refreshing the page yourself.
As for Lookstat, it does sound like bad news indeed.

I can't open SS earnings page when I click on PicNiche earnings button. Seems like it is showing earnings, but I can't open the page...is it because of security code, or it's something else?

Yes it's because of the new login system with captcha. They changed the page elements and therefore the function com.picNiche.toolBar.picNicheShutterstockLogin needs to be rewritten. By the author, of course

sharply_done · « **Reply #8 on:** May 05, 2009, 08:42 »

Quote from: leaf on May 04, 2009, 16:07

I think this is a good move by shutterstock, hopefully they are able to cooperate with the likes of Lookstat.

If l was Shutterstock, I'd charge an appropriate fee to bypass this 'security' feature. It would have been prudent for these statistics/uploading companies to approach the agencies before they started developing, but I doubt that happened. Somebody from these places should have appeared here by now, if only to say 'It's not a problem for us' or 'We're working on it' ... another bad move on their part.

bobbigmac · « **Reply #10 on:** May 16, 2009, 13:55 »

Quote from: Xalanx on May 05, 2009, 07:24

Quote from: Whitechild on May 05, 2009, 05:21
Quote from: Xalanx on May 04, 2009, 16:13
picniche won't be affected because it just uses the stats page AFTER you normally login. So it'll work, you'll login on SS and you know the session is valid for many hours and therefore you can get the stats through this plugin. It's like refreshing the page yourself.
As for Lookstat, it does sound like bad news indeed.

I can't open SS earnings page when I click on PicNiche earnings button. Seems like it is showing earnings, but I can't open the page...is it because of security code, or it's something else?

Yes it's because of the new login system with captcha. They changed the page elements and therefore the function com.picNiche.toolBar.picNicheShutterstockLogin needs to be rewritten. By the author, of course

Heyhey, yes this was fixed in an update on the day. Only just saw this post doing a google-trip

Anyone who's not updated yet can get the latest version here:
http://tinyurl.com/microstocktools

Quote from: sharply_done on May 05, 2009, 08:42

Quote from: leaf on May 04, 2009, 16:07
I think this is a good move by shutterstock, hopefully they are able to cooperate with the likes of Lookstat.

If l was Shutterstock, I'd charge an appropriate fee to bypass this 'security' feature. It would have been prudent for these statistics/uploading companies to approach the agencies before they started developing, but I doubt that happened. Somebody from these places should have appeared here by now, if only to say 'It's not a problem for us' or 'We're working on it' ... another bad move on their part.

I tried before launch and since to get all the major agencies to talk to me so we could work together, sadly, both before and since I've heard little-to-nothing in return :/
Although the SS changes aren't a major hindrance to the picNiche toolbars operation (It'll now just open the login page if an active session is not found), there are some other issues on upcoming developments I'd very much like to work together with the agencies on.
Here's hoping one day one of them will take the time to call me back

Sadly working from a back-bedroom in the UK doesn't lend me a whole lot of credibility in the eyes of the agencies

Still trying though

Thanks

melastmohican · « **Reply #11 on:** May 30, 2009, 00:12 »

Anything new? I still cannot see data from Shutterstock...

Colette · « **Reply #12 on:** May 30, 2009, 00:50 »

No problems here with Cushy stock at all. It updates financial statistics from Shutterstock as it did before.
Strange enough FTP uploading to Shutterstock doesn't work here.
Anyone who uses Cushy stock who knows how the settings has to be filled in in the program?
The other stocks do work well with FTP, so I can't find out why Shutterstock doesn't..

null · « **Reply #13 on:** May 31, 2009, 03:38 »

Quote from: melastmohican on May 30, 2009, 00:12

Anything new? I still cannot see data from Shutterstock...

I predicted this scenario long ago. The only app that will keep working is a desktop client app, not a net app. I didn't check lookstat in ages. Without SS, it's pretty useless for me.

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Author Topic: Shutterstock closes doors to third party apps?! (Read 11228 times)

leaf

leaf

Xalanx

eppic

Bateleur

null

Dreamframer

Xalanx

sharply_done

Rahul Pathak

bobbigmac

melastmohican

Colette

null

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