Shutterstock Inc. will pay $35 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the stock media company illegally charged consumers for products without their informed consent and made it difficult to cancel subscriptions. The FTC accused the New York-based company of unfair and deceptive practices that generated tens of millions of dollars from users.

Since 2020, Shutterstock has offered most content through subscriptions allowing monthly downloads with time-limited licenses. The FTC complaint alleged the company advertised on-demand packs as having "no commitment" while failing to disclose they automatically renewed when the last download was used. The plan selection page frequently buried renewal terms in difficult-to-find fine print.

Before 2024, consumers couldn't complete early cancellation online and were forced to contact customer support by phone, chat, or email—a complicated process. The settlement prohibits Shutterstock from misrepresenting subscription terms and requires the company to maintain simple cancellation mechanisms. The FTC vote authorizing the complaint was 2-0.