Author Topic: What if somebody were to download your entire portfolio in a year? (Read 5144 times)

spike · « **on:** March 03, 2014, 12:34 »

Let's say you have 9125 images online.

Somebody registers and buys a 12 month subscription plan for 2599$. With it, he can buy 25*365 = 9125 images. And let's say that person is your psychotic rival who wants to copy your style, so downloads ONLY your images, and every each one of them.

You will earn, if you're on the highest tier, 9125*0.38$ = 3467$.

Overall, you earned 865$ more than your psychotic friend spent.

It's very easy to strike a deal with someone to download only your images and end up in a net plus. Is it against SS's TOS to do something like this? The person downloading only your images could be a genuine psycho who really wants to have all your images, and I don't think that's either illegal or against the ToS. A person can choose to download whatever he or she wishes.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2014, 12:39 »

too bad there aren't many psychotic friends

cthoman · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2014, 12:45 »

Then, I'd wish I'd taken that deal from Graphicstock.

stockphotoeurope · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2014, 13:04 »

So it seems like the negative what-if scenarios are very fashionable here lately...

However yes, it is illegal - see TOS, Chapter 8.e:
http://submit.shutterstock.com/terms/
Prepare to convince them that your psychotic friend is not actually your partner in crime.

spike · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2014, 13:09 »

Quote from: stockphotoeurope on March 03, 2014, 13:04

So it seems like the negative what-if scenarios are very fashionable here lately...

However yes, it is illegal - see TOS, Chapter 8.e:
http://submit.shutterstock.com/terms/
Prepare to convince them that your psychotic friend is not actually your partner in crime.

Shouldn't they be the ones proving that this person is really a "partner in crime", rather than a contributor proving that the person (who he knows nothing about maybe) is psychotic?

Innocent until proven guilty, no?

spike · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2014, 13:13 »

And if it's indeed "guilty until proven innocent", than this makes it even more interesting.

If I want to have a competitor or someone's account terminated, I just have to pay 2599$ and download their whole portfolio. Good luck to them proving that I'm psychotic.

EDIT: Potentially, even less than that, maybe they block the account that I'm downloading from after one month, so I effectively shut down a contributor for 250$.

stockphotoeurope · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2014, 13:23 »

Quote from: spike on March 03, 2014, 13:09

Innocent until proven guilty, no?

In court, maybe.

But in private matters between an agency and a photographer it's neither "innocent until proven guilty" nor "guilty until proven innocent", but a lot of pain nevertheless: most likely, it would result in both accounts suspended at least temporarily until they gather enough information to resolve the matter.

However it would take a lot of time for your psychotic friend to complete his/her plan, and they would probably find out before it's over, so the real case would be less catastrophic than your scenario.

Now I'm scared about what your next what-if will be.

cthoman · « **Reply #7 on:** March 03, 2014, 13:27 »

I wonder if SS throttles customers. They clearly wouldn't want you downloading your full amount.

Ron · « **Reply #8 on:** March 03, 2014, 13:34 »

Why on earth do you want to endeavour on such a stupid plan to make an 800 dollar profit in a year ?! There are easier and quicker ways to make money.

The answer is: Its plausible but naive.

pancaketom · « **Reply #9 on:** March 03, 2014, 14:07 »

Actually, the shutting down someone elses portfolio is a more likely scenario - sign up for a subs plan - possibly from a nearby location and start downloading their port. 25 a day, every day. I am sure SS would notice in short order, and shut you down, and possibly them too. They would have a lot of fun trying to explain how they don't even know you.

Red Dove · « **Reply #10 on:** March 03, 2014, 14:28 »

There must be a government out there who will hire you to be their Doomsday and Worst Possible Outcome Scenario Plausicator. Codename: Chicken Little.

Megastock · « **Reply #11 on:** March 03, 2014, 19:49 »

What about income taxes? You'd have to pay tax on the full $3500... Plus, I think they would shut you down on the artificially inflating downloads point:

"Shutterstock has the right to refuse to establish an account or to close any existing account, for fraud, intellectual property infringement, violation of a third party's rights including those of privacy or publicity, artificially inflating downloads, submission of material that is obscene in nature, violent or that might be construed as defamatory, failure to comply with Shutterstock's guidelines as may be amended from time to time, for any breach of the terms of this or any other agreement that you have with Shutterstock, or for convenience. "

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #12 on:** March 04, 2014, 14:52 »

Or maybe something else, I can't exactly picture it at the moment?

Quote from: Red Dove on March 03, 2014, 14:28

There must be a government out there who will hire you to be their Doomsday and Worst Possible Outcome Scenario Plausicator. Codename: Chicken Little.

Oh yes I can...

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Author Topic: What if somebody were to download your entire portfolio in a year? (Read 5144 times)

spike

luissantos84

cthoman

stockphotoeurope

spike

spike

stockphotoeurope

cthoman

Ron

pancaketom

Red Dove

Megastock

Uncle Pete

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