Creating a New Account After a Ban

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Assalamu Alaikum, I hope you are well. I have a question regarding a matter related to online work and Islamic rulings. I would greatly appreciate your guidance. Previously, I was a contributor on the stock website Shutterstock, where I uploaded my own illustrations and earned income from them. Recently, Shutterstock banned my account, and according to their policy, I am not allowed to create a new account. I am considering whether it would be permissible to create a new contributor account using my father’s name and identification details, while the work (creating and uploading the illustrations) would still be done entirely by me. However, I understand that this may go against Shutterstock’s terms and policies. My questions are: Is it permissible in Islam to create such an account using my father’s details if the platform itself prohibits creating a new account after a ban? If I were to do this and the work I upload is halal and created by me, would the earnings from such work be considered halal? Does using another person’s identity in this situation fall under deception or something impermissible in Islam? I want to ensure that my income remains halal and that I do not engage in anything against Islamic principles. Therefore, I would be grateful for your guidance on how Islam views this situation. Jazakum Allahu Khairan for your time and assistance. Wassalamu Alaikum

Mufti Tosif Qasmi · Accepted Answer

Walekumussalam,As you mentioned, the company Shutterstock has a condition in its policies that once an account is banned, a new account cannot be created. When this is one of their stated terms, then it is necessary to abide by those terms. Therefore, if someone creates a new account using another person’s name, email, or identification details, it would be considered a form of deception and a violation of the agreed terms. For this reason, such an action is not correct and should be avoided.However, if someone did create an account in this manner and the work itself was permissible (such as uploading illustrations that he created himself), then the earnings received in exchange for that work may be considered halal in essence. Nevertheless, since the method used was not correct, the person should repent and avoid such methods in the future, choosing instead lawful and clear means.May Allah grant you halal and pure sustenance. Ameen

Creating a New Account After a Ban

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