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Flightsim.to new business model and terms of service leaves content creators without rights to their own work

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Tim Collins said:
No apology required; it’s a discussion, and different points of view should always be welcome.

I do think this ‘copy’n’paste’ approach to TOS is risky, and I suspect flightsim.to are beginning to recognise that! Of course there are minor issues with those other things, but I’m sure they can be ironed out. As you say, the anti-deletion issue is perhaps the main bone of contention, but if they rescind both that and the ‘right to modify without consent’ term, then they might begin to repair the damage they’ve done. And other download sites may learn a salutary lesson.
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100% Agree.
If they can repair this damage and fast, I personally will stay with their platform. Hopefully they consider that since I am also one of their few vendors on their payware platform.
For now, I have to prepare for the worst. That said, I hope it all works out, they wake up, re-organize, keep good faith, and I find my way back using their service.
 
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KL791 said:
Hi - my German is not fantastic but it would be great if you can bring this discussion up on some of the German flightsim sites if it is not already there - It is important that the message also hit the German flightsim users - they are the second largest downloader group on Flightsim.to
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Just use ChatGPT to translate 😎
 
I also have my account disabled, but without asking for it.
I had bought an aircraft and a couple of airports at their site which I no longer have access to now.
Just as a warning to others.

I don't bother fighting that, tbh. I just put them on my blacklist of businesses I no longer use as a customer.
Time to move on.
 
darshonaut said:
I had bought an aircraft and a couple of airports at their site which I no longer have access to now.
Just as a warning to others.
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Yesterday I entrusted my car keys to a friendly person. I don't know who he is, but he made a convincing case that I would get it back. I don't know where he lives either, but he has a letterbox in a Berlin office tower block and introduced himself as "Z37xy". I am very optimistic about this....😉
 
The flightsim.to guy did not like all the questions and discussion in the website-channel on Discord. So he locked it to stop people to discuss and ask questions. Convenient... It also seems that he has blocked some of the users on flightsim.to... Nice going...
 
As you can see these people are very fair play and do not tolerate any contradiction or complaints from the people on whom their business is based and who make them live through the dividends of the publicity they generate with their creations.
Sorry for what is happening to you but this is a "showdown" (I am not sure about the translation made by Deepl) where they have something to lose... not us 👌
 
CanadianCaptainMoustache said:
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I did nothing more than ask questions in their discord. I didn't even request a single one of my files get deleted
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As one of those starting the fire I would have expected to be the first to be thrown out... Global AI Ship Traffic is finally gone from Flightsim.to after several intents - at least for now - my other upload which they accepted to delete is still there though it appears as temporarily disabled. I logged out and in again, but was not prompted to accept the terms as others... It seems quite inconsistent.
 
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Henrik,
Apparently they want a showdown and want to muzzle people who disagree with them.
If all developers who uploaded content, would update their content with a simple text file in a ZIP and containing the simple sentence:

We don't agree with the new policy of Flightsim.to

This would probably help things to evolve. Let's not forget that in 2020, they started their bussines thanks to a so called Community platform open to freeware :cool:
Without us, I think their bussines would not have worked so well and they would not be where they are now
 
KL791 said:
As one of those starting the fire I would have expected to be the first to be thrown out...
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You discount yourself. In a way, your content can make or break a site, not entirely, but in a way, due to demand. So in that same way, you can effect, or prevent, change. If Hollywood actors are regularly required to make this same agreement, I don't see what makes content creators for a niche video game so much more entitled, but I've never been entitled, so I wouldn't know. Anyway, as a superstar, you could almost make your own rules. They will work with you, for the cred.

Similar has been said above, I use freely available content that is not free, is not transferable and I state that openly, I do not claim to have authority over this work and I am not able to surrender that authority. All the talk about jurisdiction and legal fortitude, pales in the face of the community mood, you've all gotten flightsim.to in fear of their existence. You don't have to sue them, you're gonna starve them to death. The restrictions that I have over my shared content, is the reason flightsim.to made this change. It is because all the rights, support obligations, are an extreme burden to manage, then we die or go off the radar, then what?

I am not saying it is good, or right, correct, but it is the future. The future often sucks, we often have to exchange core securities for new freedoms, just like pilots have to do.
 
Rick, thanks for calling me a Superstar.... :rolleyes: There is someone here in the household who disagrees and consider me slightly nerdish (luckily she also likes 3d design though not of boats)

Anyway I will try to use the status for the good of all of us... I have been in contact with several host sites; Ian Stephens from Flyawaysimulation came back yesterday and asked directly for inputs on what could be fair deal... Without going into specific wordings for my part I think the below is a decent starting point, but let me hear your comments. Hopefully it could also serve as inspiration to other sites - even to Flightsim.to...

Creators must be able to remove permanently all or part of their content without having to present any specific reason - a back up can exist at the host, but the content should disappear from the air

The host should be entitled to remove uploads if they do not live up to site guidelines, but the host should not be allowed to modify a file.

The host has no obligation to keep the file available forever, but similarly the creator only grants a right to host and share until it is revoked

The host should be able to exclude a creator if guidelines are not respected

Creators should be able to cancel their account and with that the upload

Changes to Terms of Service should be communicated well in advance with an option for creators to remove content before a change take force in case they don't agree to new Terms

it is fine that there is a Premium subscription for fast download and paying the service of organizing and running a download site

It is fine that there is a donation option

Having a Creators Program like Flightsim.to will introduce is okay, but as freeware creator I don't need it; we don't want to run businesses, and if a "creator program" is bringing the premium price up then it does not make much sense. Leave that to a donation button. Use excess income to broaden bandwith for the free download. We do freeware so it is available also for students or retired people or those who lost their income.

The host should not take on the risk in case of copyright infringement; that should rest with the creator. In case of breach the host should be able to exclude content and creators with immediate effect.

The agreement should go for one specific site
 
KL791 said:
Changes to Terms of Service should be communicated well in advance with an option for creators to remove content before a change take force in case they don't agree to new Terms
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Especially this point is the crux of the matter. A change in the terms should allow for the option to remove your content. This was the exact problem.

Of course now they have a new problem... no one trusts them.
 
Wow, I "love" how they banned @darshonaut and @CanadianCaptainMoustache from fs.to just for asking questions on DISCORD (not the website).... It confirms that we are right AND that we are also right about where this is going (Freeware behind paywall, Addond reuploaded without consent and maybe as payware etc) Waw flightsim.to just destroyed themselves...

@KL791 I 1000% Agree with these!
 
Marc L said:
Wow, I "love" how they banned @darshonaut and @CanadianCaptainMoustache from fs.to just for asking questions on DISCORD (not the website).... It confirms that we are right AND that we are also right about where this is going (Freeware behind paywall, Addond reuploaded without consent and maybe as payware etc) Waw flightsim.to just destroyed themselves...

@KL791 I 1000% Agree with these!
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Spreading lies is defamation. He didn't get banned for asking questions, his account got disabled. Read instead of speaking out of non-sense.

He got suspended for malicious intent to ruin your project.
https://imgur.com/W1LSuk6
 
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