Community GuidelinesUpdated 3 hours ago

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

Society6 is a global community of visionary Creators and surface designers whose creativity continues to shape our design-forward collections. Our mission has always been to celebrate creativity, and today that mission evolves through collaboration — working with Creators to bring curated, trend-forward designs that empower our customers to express their personal style through every season and moment of their life.

These Community Guidelines outline the standards and expectations for how we work together. They are designed to ensure our collaborations remain grounded in integrity, professionalism, and respect. By following these principles, we create a thriving space where creativity is celebrated, protected, and elevated.

OWNERSHIP OF RIGHTS

By creating a Society6 Artist account, you retain full rights to the content you publish while granting Society6 the right to distribute your work in connection with our products and collaborations.

When you share original work with us, it has the potential to extend beyond our core platform. Through our marketing, brand partnerships, wholesale collaborations, press, influencer campaigns, and third-party marketplaces, we amplify the reach of selected designs, ensuring they connect with an even wider audience.

Our role is to act as a trusted partner and advocate for your creativity — working together to bring original, design-forward products to customers who are looking for meaningful ways to express their personal style.

NEW ARTIST APPLICATION

Society6 welcomes new creators to our community. To ensure a thoughtful review process, all new artist applications are carefully evaluated by our team. Application reviews typically take 30–90 days to complete.

Application Denials
Not all applications are approved. Applications may be denied if the portfolio is not relevant to our brand or if it conflicts with these Community Guidelines. If your application is denied, you may reapply through the same link. However, approval is not guaranteed, and we recommend only reapplying if your portfolio has significantly changed or better reflects the standards of the Society6 community.

DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS

To uphold the quality and integrity of our collections, all new designs now go through a review process before publication. Our Merchandising team evaluates each submission to ensure it aligns with Society6’s standards and brand guidelines.

• Pending Review: Once submitted, designs enter “Pending” status and can no longer be edited. Keep your design in Draft until the artwork, title, and tags are final.

• Quality Assurance: Submissions are checked for originality, accuracy, and compliance with our guidelines. 

• Approval & Publication: Approved designs become live, discoverable, and purchasable on Society6.

• Optimization: Our team may update titles and tags to improve search visibility and help your designs reach more customers.

• Declined Designs: If a design doesn’t meet standards, it will be marked “Declined” with a reason noted to guide future submissions.
  
  

This process strengthens Society6’s reputation as a destination for original, design-forward work, supports fair opportunities for Creators, and ensures customers experience a refined, trustworthy catalog.

COPYRIGHT & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 

At Society6, originality is the foundation of everything we do. Protecting intellectual property is essential to ensuring that Creators are credited for their work and that our customers can trust in the authenticity of every design. Any content that infringes on another person’s intellectual property rights is not permitted and directly conflicts with our mission to deliver original, design-forward collections.

What is Copyright?

Copyright protects original works of authorship — published or unpublished — fixed in a tangible medium. In short, it ensures creators maintain control over their work. If it’s yours, it’s protected. If it’s not, please do not upload it. 

Trademark

Trademark law covers the words, phrases, logos, and symbols that distinguish one piece of work from another, such as the Nike® swoosh. Using recognizable marks infringes on trademark rights and is not permitted on Society6.

Publicity Rights & Celebrity Likeness

Publicity rights protect an individual’s ability to control the commercial use of their name, image, or likeness. Artwork featuring a celebrity (or anyone else) can’t be sold on Society6 without prior written permission. This protects both individual identity and the integrity of our platform.

Fan Art

Fan art is artwork derived from characters, worlds, or other elements of an existing work. While often created as a tribute, fan art can infringe on copyright, trademark, or publicity rights. To protect the integrity of original work and respect intellectual property laws, fan art that violates these rights is not permitted on Society6.

Stock Photography

Stock photography does not meet our standard for original artwork. While stock images may appear to be widely available, it does not align with Society6’s commitment to originality, and also presents significant licensing challenges — even images advertised as “free to use,” may prohibit use. Before uploading any image, you are legally responsible for ensuring it complies with all licensing requirements.

AI-Generated Content

Artwork created primarily by AI tools, without meaningful human input, does not meet Society6’s standards for authentic design. Submissions must demonstrate clear creative contribution from the Creator to ensure the work reflects true authorship. This protects both the integrity of our platform and the value of original expression.

PROHIBITED CONTENT

To maintain a respectful and professional environment, the following content is not permitted:

• Graphic or excessively violent imagery

• Hateful or discriminatory content

• Racist or derogatory material

• Sexually violent or pornographic content

• Child exploitation in any form

• Obscene or abusive material

• Content that is religiously offensive

• Promotion of illegal activity

• Deceptive or misleading content
  
  

Content with mature themes must be flagged appropriately during upload or it may be subject to removal.

DESIGN DELETION & ACCOUNT CLOSURE

Society6 provides artists with flexibility in managing their shops and designs. To ensure clarity, the following guidelines outline what happens when a design is deleted:

• Immediate Removal: Deleted designs are removed from Artist Studio and the site right away. 

• 30-Day Retention: Deleted designs remain in our internal system for 30 days but are not visible, discoverable, or shoppable.

• Permanent Deletion: After 30 days, designs are permanently removed and cannot be restored.

• Restoration: Society6 does not currently offer restoration of deleted designs. In rare cases we may review requests, but restoration is not guaranteed.

If you would like to close your Society6 Artist Account, please reach out to our Support team here.

BRAND & WEBSITE ETIQUETTE

Society6 is a community built on creativity, professionalism, and respect. To maintain a positive environment for both Creators and customers, we expect all members to uphold standards of integrity and conduct when interacting on the site. The following guidelines outline our expectations for participation.

• Account Information: All profile information provided must be accurate and kept up to date.

• Harassment: Negative, threatening, impersonating, or spam behavior is strictly prohibited.

• Multiple Accounts: Permitted only to separate distinct creative practices (such as illustration and photography); prohibited when used to manipulate visibility or gain unfair advantage.

• Bots & Fake Accounts: Automated accounts or bots that manipulate the platform will result in suspension and possible frozen payments.

• Spam & Self-Promotion: Promotion must stay within designated spaces (e.g., your Artist Shop). Unsolicited promotion of others' work is not allowed. Do not include links to external websites within your Society6 shop. Social media links are okay.

• Keyword Stuffing: Titles, tags, and descriptions must be relevant. Society6 may adjust submissions to improve discoverability and customer experience.

• Use of Society6 Brand: The name and logo are registered trademarks and may not be used without written permission. Creators are encouraged to promote their work on personal channels and may tag Society6 when showcasing products.

Representation Beyond Society6

Creators are ambassadors of the Society6 community both on and off our platform. Conduct with customers, in public forums, on social media, or in other professional or personal interactions that promotes hate, discrimination, violence, or otherwise undermines the integrity of our community may result in review and potential removal from the platform. We expect all partners to uphold values of respect, inclusivity, and professionalism in a way that reflects positively on the brand.

Repeat Infringement

Members who repeatedly violate intellectual property standards risk suspension at the sole discretion of Society6. This may include the removal of all associated accounts. Consistent enforcement of these protections is essential to preserving the integrity of our community and the trust our customers place in our collections.

REPORTING A CONCERN

Society6 is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and professional environment for Creators and customers alike. If you encounter content or behavior that violates our Community Standards or Terms of Service, please contact our team so we can review and take appropriate action.

• Technical Issues: Report bugs here so our team can address them quickly.

• Additional Support: For questions, reach out to our team directly or visit our Artist FAQs and/or Copyright and Trademark Policy