My Turn for a Photobucket Story

[Griff]

I went and looked at the Leverguns Monthly Match post as I noticed there were new targets posted. I generally just look at latest, (any added since mine), but this time I didn't use that button, and ended up scrolling down. I noticed my linked photos had been replaced with a notice from Photobucket. Yes, Sixgun, I actually used an expletive in describing them to myself).

I went to the link they described whereupon I found their lop-sided logic behind this action. Apparently as of June 28th, they no longer allow "free" accounts to use said account to 3rd party link to photos stored on their servers. (I've long wondered how long that would last, now I know). Here's the "notice" (abbreviated):

Photobucket.com Terms of Use

Last revised June 28, 2017

Thank you for visiting Photobucket.com (the "Site"), operated by Photobucket.com, Inc. ("Photobucket" or " we" or "us"). Please carefully read these Terms of Use ("Terms") so you understand how we operate this Site, what we can offer and how we can work together. Please also read our Privacy Policy and Copyright and IP Policy. By using the Site and the Photobucket Services (even if you're just visiting), you are agreeing to the Terms and Privacy Policy posted at the time of your visit.

Read more: http://photobucket.com/terms#ixzz4lLpBz1xO

I viewed a number of prior emails I've received from Photobucket, and have yet to find any notice of said pending change. It now appears, as stated in fine print further down their "notice", that I have 3 options, $59.99/yr which still precludes linking of my photos on their server, $99.99/yr which allows for limited linking, and $399.99/yr which allows unlimited linking. (I didn't include all their notice as it's lengthy and full of mind-numbing legaleese!

Here's my response:

My account predates the June 28, 2017 date of your Agreement Modification. As such, any linking of my photos prior to the date of the modification should not be voided, as I had not, to the best of my knowledge violated any terms present at the time of use. Your sudden, and heretofore unannounced voiding of said links is a poor tactic in acquiring any payment for services.

Due to the abrupt nature of your actions in this regard, I do not find it palatable to continue to use your services. If however, you find my reaction to your actions to be reasonable, I am open to a continued dialog regarding my use of said services. Feel free to contact me at this email address.

If you cannot fathom my dismay at your unilateral action, you may feel free to remove any and all photos of mine that reside on your server, and completely void my account. I ask however, that you provide me notice of your intent in this regard. You do not, in any case, have my permission to desseminate any photos or video on your servers in any manner, either in printed or electronic form, nor do you have my permission to use them in any manner, shape or form for your personal or business ends.

Griff

Thoughts?

[FWiedner]

Their site has become increasingly difficult to access and use over the past few years.

I just decided to delete all the photos that I had stored there and stop using the site.

No great loss.

[Griff]

Their site has become increasingly difficult to access and use over the past few years.

I just decided to delete all the photos that I had stored there and stop using the site.

No great loss.

Yep, I kinda hope they take the trouble to delete my stuff... too time consuming for me to delete them all! I have a 2 terabyte external drive that's strictly for my photos... I'll just have to take the trouble to update the threads that I kinda want to keep the photos up in.

[AJMD429]

[marlinman93]

I can only hope and pray they delete my account, and images there! I haven't been able to access them myself for almost a year! I switched to Imgur earlier this year, and have nothing but praise for Imgur's free picture hosting site! It works great, and never gives me headaches. To heck with Photobucket!

[Malamute]

Is it possible to easily transfer all your images on photobucket to imger or other hosting site?

[Sixgun]

Well Griff....I also use that site so when the pelosi hits the fan, I'll do to them what I did to the cellphone companies...pack sand. Other than landline phones, TV, and internet service,I will not let the electronics world control my meager income. If it was not for my wife, I would have deleted the aforementioned "luxuries" before I had to start paying for them.

You know, these trivial modern day "conveniences" cut into my Winchester and Colt money.

Well, gotta go.....a three day levergun silhouette match is waiting for me upstate.----6

[crs]

A similar rebellion brewing over on Accurate Reloading forum and likely on many other forums.
There are many better solutions being proposed for those wanting to exit from PB.

[Griff]

Is it possible to easily transfer all your images on photobucket to imger or other hosting site?

Just looked at Imgur photo hosting site... Their small print includes some plain language "don'ts"... including:

Also, don't use Imgur to host image libraries you link to from elsewhere, content for your website, advertising, avatars, or anything else that turns us into your content delivery network.

So... I won't be transferring my photos there.

[Carlsen Highway]

Just last night I got tired to frustration of the exceedingly slow service on photobucket (for years now) and decided to dump them. I have gone with Imgur, and they are so much faster and easier to use its absurd.
This very morning I got an email from photobucket saying the same thing as Griff above. They just took away their only reason for existing at all...They can delete my account if they want, I dont care what they do. They can jump in the lake. I will never know what happens to them because I will never go back to find out. Internet is a big place.

[Sixgun]

I got on their site after reading this post and a pop up came on the screen and asked, "are you using this for third party linking"? or words to that effect. I said "NO" and so far..so good. ---6

[crs]

Griff,
PB just did the same things to me. Since all my photos are already stored in Dropbox, I will look for another way to put them into posts so I will not use PB anymore. What a pain in the butt.

[marlinman93]

I got the email this morning telling me they noticed I am using photobucket for 3rd party hosting, whatever the heck that means? I wrote back and told them I haven't used their site for months, as it wont even let me on the site for months! So I couldn't use it if I wanted to!
I think this notice is just a way to scare people into paying for a photobucket account. Considering it works so poorly, I have no idea why I'd pay for it.

[jnyork]

I got the email this morning, they want 400 bucks a year to allow me to post pix to other sites. Have to find another host. Any ideas?

[Malamute]

A couple years ago when they changed their basic setup to the so-called improved version, they started charging commercial users for their use. Many went ahead and paid, expecting at least the same old level of usability, which was not the new reality. The changes totally mucked up the user friendly aspects, there were scads of posts on various media about how messed up the new version was, and after paying, many people couldnt use the new version anyway because it sucked so badly. I wouldn't expect any better service and usability today if one paid for it. They seem heck-bent on sending photobucket into the toilet, ruining the usability, taking away useful features to replace them with ones hardly anyone likes or uses, and now charging for the mess they've made. I predict the end of photobucket with this history and tendancy. I cant say I feel for them the way they've messed it up and kept claiming its all better all the time.

[marlinman93]

I got the email this morning, they want 400 bucks a year to allow me to post pix to other sites. Have to find another host. Any ideas?

Imgur.

[marlinman93]

from the looks of all the missing avatars here, photocrapbucket has closed down everyone's account if they don't pay to use their own images. Switched mine to my Imgur account today.

[Shasta]

With help from Google searches I was able to download all my pictures from Photobucket to a folder on my computer. I then signed up on Imjur and uploaded the picture there. If my avatar pic is back, you will know I was successful. Photobucket can take a flying leap for all I care.

Shasta

[Carlsen Highway]

I would not be surprised if this was the death throes of Photobucket and they are about to go under, this will be a last ditch bit of desperate revenue gathering. Anyway, who cares.

[marlinman93]

With help from Google searches I was able to download all my pictures from Photobucket to a folder on my computer. I then signed up on Imjur and uploaded the picture there. If my avatar pic is back, you will know I was successful. Photobucket can take a flying leap for all I care.

Shasta

Any tips on how to get the images through Google searches off photocrapbucket?

[Shasta]

Marlinman-

I simply Googled "How to download Photobucket Albums" and all kinds of stuff shows up. Of course, none of the advice worked exactly as stated, but it was good enough that I was able to get it figured out. I don't know for sure what the heck I did, but it worked!

Shasta

[JerryB]

Shasta, thanks for the google tip. I have not been able to use PB in a few years but I do have some pictures I would like to get back, I'll give it a try in the morning.

[cas]

It's the norm for internet based companies, offer a service for free, then slowly add or change to fees.

Nothing is free on the internet, everywhere you go and everything you see costs someone somewhere some money. Hosting your photos costs them server space. Hot linking the photos elsewhere cost them a lot of bandwidth. I'm really surprised they stayed "free" as long as they did. And now finally going to a pay service, their price is outlandish. Maybe they're going with the "One $400 customer is batter than ten $40 customers"? business model? Hope for there sake it works.


We've seen this before with online photo hosts and a few of them went under. I think Photobucket might be done due to this.... "too much, too late".


I've used ImageEvent since around 2003. Costs about $2 a month, it works and it's easy to use.

Time to get off welfare there Sixgun and start paying rent like a productive member of society.

[Lefty Dude]

Most of the forums & boards I use I can now post from my Library of photos on the lap-top I use. I stopped using PB several years ago, after I was exposed to some nasty Virus and then cookies and such.
My account is still active but is not used.

[marlinman93]

Here's another free picture hosting site I found:

http://jpgbox.com/submit.html?

Just signed up and haven't tried it yet. But it looks like another free option.

[marlinman93]

Well I went through the steps to download my PB album images, but it wouldn't download. So guess I'll have to delete the account and begin uploading hundreds of images from my computer to Imgur or jpgbox.

[3t-]

I just finish retrieving my photos from PB. Takes a while for the download file to prepare. The site then gives you a message that it is ready to download. Sent to my computer and to my onedrive account. Only a couple hundred pics so maybe size is an issue.

[AJMD429]

It is weird - looks like they are just doing this gradually; so far my pictures/links are ok.

[Chuck 100 yd]

What PB is turning into is sad. I have been a user there for many years. I will not be logging on there again and they can do whatever they want with my photos, I have them all backed up on my hard drive.