Stock agency rule changes, logged

Stock agencies change their contributor rules without much notice, and their help pages rarely say what changed. This log keeps the changes we could confirm on official pages, newest first, each with its source.

By RushPilotUpdated 11 October 2026Rules checked against official sources on 11 October 2026

On this page

Changes confirmed in 2026

Contributor rule changes confirmed on official pages, newest first
Date	Agency	What changed
7 Oct 2026	Pond5	The CSV description limit went from 200 to 500 characters. Title (80) and CSV keywords (10 to 50) are unchanged.
Oct 2026	Shutterstock	A banner on the earnings page warns that contributors without tax forms cannot upload.
7 Jul 2026	Getty Images, Shutterstock	Getty Images gave notice terminating the merger agreement with Shutterstock.

The Pond5 change comes from comparing the current page with its version archived on 29 July 2025.

For Pond5 contributors, the description limit matters only in bulk imports: the web form sets no limit. The details of the current rules are on the Pond5 requirements page, and the Pond5 upload guide already uses 500.

The Getty Images and Shutterstock merger would have combined two of the largest agencies. With the agreement terminated, both keep their own contributor programs, and Pond5 remains part of Shutterstock.

Official pages updated in 2026

These pages were republished in 2026. Their current wording is what our references follow. Where we cannot see the previous version, we do not claim the rule changed.

Contributor help pages updated in 2026 and what they say now
Page updated	Agency	What the current version says
18 Aug 2026	Adobe Stock	Up to 49 keywords per submission; the first 10 carry the most weight. The CSV page still says 50.
22 Jul 2026	Shutterstock	One release per person as a JPEG, handwritten signature, no release needed for editorial.
11 Jun 2026	Adobe Stock	Help center republished. The refusal reasons page names upscaled video; generative AI video must be labeled.
26 Feb 2026	Shutterstock	Descriptions up to 2,048 characters and 7 to 50 keywords in English.
9 Feb 2026	Shutterstock	The submission editor caps the description field at 150 characters.

Earlier changes still in force

Changes from earlier years that still shape contributor rules
Date	Agency	Change
15 Dec 2025	Shutterstock	Upload and Submit are disabled if the tax form is not filled within 90 days of the first reminder.
16 Jul 2025	Shutterstock	AI-generated content is not accepted from contributors.
20 May 2025	Adobe Stock	New weekly submission limit and cap on content waiting for review, without published numbers.
11 May 2022	Shutterstock, Pond5	Shutterstock acquired Pond5. Pond5 keeps its own contributor program and rules.

The AI rules of each agency are compared on the AI video policies page, and the Adobe limits are explained in the Adobe Stock submission limit.

How this log is kept

We reread the official pages behind our references every quarter.
An entry is added when a rule is announced by the agency, or when the current page differs from an archived version of the same page.
A new update date alone is not treated as a change: agencies often republish pages without editing the rule.
When a change affects one of our references or tools, we update it and its verification date the same day.

Our sourcing policy is described on the about page.

Sources

Official agency pages. Rules change: when in doubt, the agency's own page wins. Spotted an outdated figure? Tell us from the about page.

[1]Pond5: Tagging and pricing your files (current version)Read on 11 October 2026. The page metadata gives 7 October 2026 as its last modification.
[2]Pond5: Tagging and pricing your files (archived version)Archived on 29 July 2025; page modified on 5 November 2024 according to its metadata.
[3]Shutterstock contributor earnings (payouts)Banner read on 11 October 2026.
[4]Shutterstock: Why can't I submit or upload my content? · page updated 15 Dec 2025
[5]Getty Images Holdings, quarterly report (10-Q) for the period ended 30 June 2026Note 1 describes the termination of the merger agreement with Shutterstock.
[6]Adobe Stock: Tips for effective titles and keywords · page updated 18 Aug 2026
[7]Adobe Stock: Common reasons for content refusal · page updated 11 Jun 2026
[8]Adobe Stock: Generative AI video submission guidelines · page updated 11 Jun 2026
[9]Shutterstock: Content publishing standards, contextual metadata · page updated 26 Feb 2026
[10]Shutterstock: Portfolio, preparing your uploaded content for submission · page updated 9 Feb 2026
[11]Shutterstock: Content publishing standards, legal documentation · page updated 22 Jul 2026
[12]Shutterstock: Content policy updates, AI-generated content · page updated 16 Jul 2025
[13]New submission limits for Adobe Stock contributors (Adobe Community) · page updated 20 May 2025Announcement posted by Adobe's contributor team account.
[14]Shutterstock: press release on the acquisition of Pond5 · page updated 11 May 2022

Questions

Did Pond5 change its CSV limits in 2026?

Yes. The description column of a Pond5 CSV now takes 500 characters. The version of the same page archived in July 2025 said 200. Titles stay at 80 characters and keywords at 10 to 50 in a CSV.

Why is my Shutterstock upload button disabled?

The most documented cause is a missing tax form. Shutterstock disables Upload and Submit when the form is not filled within 90 days of the first reminder, and its earnings page carries a banner about it in October 2026.

Are Getty Images and Shutterstock merging?

No. Getty Images' quarterly report for the period ended 30 June 2026 says the merger agreement was terminated, with the notice given on 7 July 2026.

How often is this log updated?

We check the official pages behind our references every quarter, and add an entry when a change is visible on an official page or between an archived and a current version.

Does a new update date mean the rule changed?

Not always. Agencies often republish help pages without changing the rule. This log only states a change when the old and new versions differ or the agency announces it.