Outrageous competition rules

[abennettphotography]

I was going to enter a 500px.com Quest - regular comps where you can win a cash prize.

However, reading through the rules I though point 8 was outrageous regarding the rights you grant to 500px. What do people think? Is this fair? Is it the norm?

https://500px.com/quests/rules

[Mike Farley]

Is this fair?

It seems to be common practice for those running competitions, especially if there is no entry fee, to request permission to use images as they see fit. Entrants can decide whether they are comfortable with the terms proposed. 500px is not going as far as some who want to be able to market the images without paying the author to which I, for one, would not agree.

Is it the norm?

The really egregious part is that 500 px wants to be able to use the work in any way they choose but have the author indemnify them against any adverse consequences. 500px is not alone with such a demand and I can understand why the lawyers might want such a condition in the T&Cs but it is most definitely unreasonable. Entrants should not have to indemnify 500px in this way, especially when they have no control over what happens with their work. Is a $150 prize (apparently what is on offer) really worth that risk?

[Sannater]

I guess it really depends what you value your work at. I'm not a bigtime photographer, so any cash that i make from this is just a bonus for me and worth the risk.