Huge issue with Photobucket and photos in XMarks threads

[Barb T]

Hi all,

When I first joined XMarks, the only way to post photos was to link them to an external photo-hosting site, and I've been linking all of the images in all of my posts to Photobucket for more than 10 years. I realize that now it's possible to upload directly to XMarks, but I'm sure I am not the only one on XMarks who has photos linked to Photobucket.

Photobucket has very recently changed its terms of use so that they no longer permit those with free accounts to have photos in their Photobucket albums appear in another web site. They now require subscription payment for 3rd party hosting. AND their lowest subscription level ($59.99/year) does not allow this. And neither does their $99.99/year subscription rate. I would need to subscribe at the rate of $399.99/year (!!!) in order to be able to have the photos in my Photobucket albums show up in XMarks.

If you have posts with photos linked to Photobucket, some or all of your photos may now be replaced with the following:



I say "may be replaced", because, in my limited experience over the past two days, whether any particular photo appears or is, instead, replaced by the warning image above is random and varies from day to day (i.e., you might see the real photo one day and the warning image the next). So, just because you see the image OK at any point in time doesn't mean that it will be OK at another time.

The other thing that just frosts my cookies is that the warning image suggests that I have been negligent in some way and that I have exceeded an agreed-upon maximum. I really resent this - I have only used 11% of my allowable storage space, and the ONLY reason that I am over 100% of ANYTHING is because they have changed their rules. They are, I know, allowed to do this by the terms of agreement, but to imply that it is MY FAULT for being negligent in managing my account is just .......grrrr snarl......

Anyway, three things:

• I am slowly starting to replace images in XMarks. Today, I have downloaded and replace 108 photos, and I'm only about 3/4 of the way done with just the Hints and Tips from Barb T and my advertiser's section.
• It's going to be really hard to find all of the photos I've ever posted on XMarks. If you find a thread that has the warning image, I would be deeply grateful if you could PM me with the full URL of the thread, and I will fix the photos.
• I truly hope that others in this boat will replace their images with directly uploaded ones to XMarks so that all of the terrific information on XMarks will continue on into the future.

Best,

Barb

[McMurdo]

Thank you Barb, for alerting us to this. I shutter to think of the number of photos I've posted from photobucket over the years. I will second what you said, if anyone sees my posts with the replaced image please let me know. I will start to replace my photos now, thanks again for pointing it out.

[KMCMICHAEL]

I thought it was just me! I have never been able to post on this site from Photobucket...it has however saved you rabble from exposure to bad sartorial decisions on my part.

[MacGumerait]

Barb ,

Thanks for this information .

I wonder if this applies to all pictures used from Photobucket .

The reason I say this is because some years ago I set my Photobucket account to be private , whereby if one tries to click on one of my pictures from Photobucket here on XMarks it won't do anything . In other words , my pictures are not " linked " back to Photobucket .

I have noticed that when one clicks on some of the pictures here XMarks it can actually take you to that person's Photobucket library . I assume that scenario would be considered as " linked to Photobucket " .

Perhaps if a Photobucket account has it's settings placed on " private " then it's not third party sharing as the pictures that appear here cannot be " linked " back to Photobucket or one's own library .

Just food for thought .

I have checked some of my pics used here from my Photobucket account ( with settings on private ) and they are still ok , however , I could be wrong and that may eventually change .

Cheers , Mike

[Mike S]

Hi Barb,

I erased my Photobucket account in protest to this draconian move on their part, and have replaced the images in my thread in your sub forum with those via my Flickr account.

[Barb T]

Perhaps if a Photobucket account has it's settings placed on " private " then it's not third party sharing as the pictures that appear here cannot be " linked " back to Photobucket or one's own library

That's not the problem. If you go to http://photobucket.com/p500/, you'll see that they define 3rd party hosting as follows: "Photobucket defines 3rd party hosting as the action of embedding an image or photo onto another website. For example, using the <img> tag to embed or display a JPEG image from your Photobucket account on another website such as a forum, Etsy, eBay auction listings, a blog, etc. is definitively 3rd party hosting."

It's imbedding of the image in a non-Photobucket site such as XMarks that they are no longer permitting unless you pay them $399.99/year.

[McMurdo]

I just went to photobucket and grabbed all my 1 kilt 10 looks thread photos to put them on Flikr. I went to edit the thread, however that option is not available to me at the moment.