Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomware?

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75RR
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Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomware?

#1 Post by 75RR » Sun Jul 09, 2017 4:33 pm

This is what Photobucket have substituted for my images on the forum.
Photobucket.png
Photobucket.png (59.61 KiB) Viewed 4138 times
As of June 30, 2017, Photobucket requires a $99 annual subscription to allow external linking to hosted images and a $399 annual subscription to allow the embedding of images on third-party websites, such as personal blogs and forums. This policy change, enacted with no advance warning, has been highly controversial.[6]wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photobucket

Just found out. I had not posted images for a while (was browsing some of my previous posts)
Apparently imgur has a similar clause which they can activate at will.
Last edited by 75RR on Sun Jul 09, 2017 9:58 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
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charlie g
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Re: Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomeware?

#2 Post by charlie g » Sun Jul 09, 2017 4:45 pm

Thanks, 75RR for this news. Very sad for folks with lots of content at an online platform which abruptly demands fees..or personal info, or personal info and fees.

A fantastic yahoo group microscope, is no longer available to me as yahoo, quite awhile ago demanded my personal contact phone numbers and all my email addresses...in order to 'update my use of the yahoo groups'.

This shortly after a number of hacks into yahoo groups was made public as news..and here yahoo demanded more personal info from me !?

I do hope with Photobucket folks, if they wish to, have time to remove/ move their content out of this platform...before fees must be paid? I could never remove my image albums from the yahoo groups...before the demand for personal phone numbers was the demand...sigh. Charlie Guevara

BTW...anyone know when Microbe Hunter online magazine will come out with a new issue?

billbillt
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Re: Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomware?

#3 Post by billbillt » Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:45 pm

"BTW...anyone know when Microbe Hunter online magazine will come out with a new issue?"

Email Oliver.. I am sure he would know..

I just looked at my Photobucket account and was asked if I wanted more storage space for $9.99 per month.. I declined, and went to my photos as usual... I don't know what is going on, but it wasn't mandatory for me...

BillT

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75RR
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Re: Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomware?

#4 Post by 75RR » Sun Jul 09, 2017 9:04 pm

I just looked at my Photobucket account and was asked if I wanted more storage space for $9.99 per month.. I declined, and went to my photos as usual... I don't know what is going on, but it wasn't mandatory for me...
I can access my Photobucket account as well. The problem is with the images I posted here.

See sample: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4669
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)

billbillt
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Re: Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomware?

#5 Post by billbillt » Sun Jul 09, 2017 9:49 pm

Ok.. I see now...

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Crater Eddie
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Re: Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomware?

#6 Post by Crater Eddie » Mon Jul 10, 2017 8:12 pm

I have noticed this on this and several other forums recently. So far I don't think my images have been effected, but many others certainly have.
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75RR
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Re: Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomware?

#7 Post by 75RR » Mon Jul 10, 2017 9:06 pm

I have noticed this on this and several other forums recently. So far I don't think my images have been effected, but many others certainly have.
I had just over a thousand images in Photobucket - don't know if there is a cutoff number or they are just slowly working their way down.
Can't be good for any forum to have missing images. They have ruined a lot of posts.

Would have made more sense to maintain links to what they had and have a cutoff date with reasonable charges for subsequent posts ... yet another Suit wreaking havoc wherever they go
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)

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Crater Eddie
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Re: Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomware?

#8 Post by Crater Eddie » Tue Jul 11, 2017 9:24 pm

I got an email from them last night demanding that I pay the ransom for my photos. It will be interesting to see how long my links remain active, as they are not getting any money from me.
CE
Olympus BH-2 / BHTU
LOMO BIOLAM L-2-2
LOMO POLAM L-213 / BIOLAM L-211 hybrid
LOMO Multiscope (Biolam)
Cameras: Canon T3i, Olympus E-P1 MFT, Amscope 3mp USB

billbillt
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Re: Is Photobucket indulging in Ransomware?

#9 Post by billbillt » Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:05 pm

Photobucket has been around for quite awhile... I wonder what prompted them to resort to this kind of sleazy blackmail?.. I only had a few pics there and nothing linked... I can see where this will cause a storm with a thousand photos and a lot of links...

BillT

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