As a genuine contributor who has submitted only original work, I’m extremely disappointed with how Shutterstock has handled the suspension of my contributor account.My account was disabled without warning due to a supposed copyright infringement on one of my photos — a photo I personally took outside my home. I provided several outtakes of the same scene and even offered to take a new photo at the same location with myself included, to prove ownership. Despite this, Shutterstock has failed to give any clear explanation of why the image was flagged or what evidence supported their claim.The appeals process has been slow, opaque, and disheartening. E-mails are left unanswered, or met with vague responses, and there seems to be no way to engage in a fair or transparent review. I’ve been treated more like a fraudster than a valued contributor, and it's deeply frustrating to have my work dismissed without proper justification.I would strongly caution any creators considering joining Shutterstock as a contributor. If issues arise, you may find yourself with no support, no communication, and no recourse. And no access to your funds! Creators deserve better.
