Photobucket no longer allows hotlinking from free accounts...

[Hannah66665]

I feel like they should be able to get into legal trouble over this somehow??? I really hope so??? Especially because they're also doing this to people who were already paying them and basically holding people's data for ransom? You can't just change the terms and services of a site like that with no warning? Especially because then users haven't actually agreed to them?
I'm really freaking out right now... I have so many pages all over the web that will be completely destroyed by this and thousands of pictures in accounts that exist nowhere else. 

[Jocelyn]

This makes me so sad. I used Photobucket for a long time too. It's been horrible recently, so I switched to flickr, but...I have years of photos from when I was younger, that didn't survive my various computer deaths I've gotten very good at cataloging and backing up current photos, but I haven't yet extended that effort to the old pics. I guess this is a kick in the butt to do so...I hope my account isn't locked yet!

[jrr74]

Thank you so much for the link.  I should have known better that something about photobucket was probably already posted  I don't use photobucket except for here so will have to think about it.  Not quite sure what to do about the photo contest though 

[invaderhorizongreen]

Well looks like I am gonna move to another photo hosting site, that I dont have to pay for. Does anyone have a good suggestion for one?

[Hannah66665]

I've had good luck using imgur in the past.

[Strandperle]

On this FAQ page they say that you will still have access to your photos:

http://support.photobucket.com/hc/en-us/articles/115009616207-My-account-has-been-restricted-due-to-3rd-party-hosting-Are-my-photos-safe-

But I don't trust them, especially after reading the blog entry Libelle shared 

[Ponyfan]

How do you delete your Photobucket account?


Ponyfan

[LadyMoondancer]

I took screenshots just to confirm, yep, this is legit happening.

visitors can't see pics , please register or login


visitors can't see pics , please register or login


These images are hosted by Flickr, lol.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

*facepalm*  I had better things to do with my morning than downloading all of my albums!!! 

[Carrehz]

I'm freaking out about it, too. Even setting aside how long it'll take me to back up my pics (I had to go out - I've only just gotten back home, I'm gonna try and get mine as soon as I post this), TONS of people use(d) Photobucket. What about all the old pages that are no longer updated but are still up, that had images hosted on PB? I can think of a fair few images I need to save now..

I'm wondering if bandwidth is how they're getting people.. if that makes sense. So far the only pics I've seen get taken down and replaced with the "no third-party linking" image, are pics that were posted in places where they'd be getting a lot of hits. If that makes sense?

I can't believe this, though. It'd be bad enough if they had given us warning (since it'd still screw over a lot of people), but doing it with NO warning at all is very shady imo...

[Duenia]

I'm wondering if bandwidth is how they're getting people.. if that makes sense. So far the only pics I've seen get taken down and replaced with the "no third-party linking" image, are pics that were posted in places where they'd be getting a lot of hits. If that makes sense?

I'm wondering if they're going by active logins possibly. I mean I don't have numbers for it but it would make sense. See something is going on with a service you use would likely send you to the site. But you know see what's, going try to login, and then suddenly your account is affected as well. That way they're targeting their resources to grab the people who are actively using the service instead of people who say haven't logged in in over a year.

[jrr74]

I just did a quick search on my old posts, and pictures from almost two years ago have been replaced by that PB picture   

[Baby Sugarberry]

For those looking at alternatives:

Dropbox
Google Images
DA's sta.sh
Flickr

You're likely right Duenia; there's always been a bandwidth cap for non-premium accounts, but it seems like they've cut the limit down severely and put in this absolutely stupid lockdown whenever it kicks in.  I wonder if it resets at the start of the month?  Might be worth holding out and seeing if those affected pictures become accessible in July.

[Shaiyeh]

oh dang, is that so? I have so many years of  pony (and other) photos on there... I'ma gonna have to take a day for just backing this up then, I guess. :/
Is flickr less of a hassle these days though? I used to have an account but it was so difficult keeping it up with yahoo logins and stuff- it just never worked for me :S

[Sunset]

Arrrg!  That is not right.  I would run home first thing after work to check on my own account but I have so much to do to get ready for going on vacation tomorrow.  This really shoold not be legal to give no warning!