Dribbble Bans Designers Including Top Creator Amid Marketplace Shift

Dribbble has implemented a controversial policy update requiring designers to process all communications and payments through the platform, leading to permanent bans of several designers, including prominent figure Gleb Kuznetsov. Kuznetsov, founder of the San Francisco design agency Milkinside with over 210 million followers, was banned for sharing his contact details with clients, violating the new rules aimed at protecting against non-payment and enabling Dribbble to monetize more aggressively. Despite Dribbble's claims that Kuznetsov received multiple warnings, he expressed frustration over the lack of appeal options and the deletion of thousands of his portfolio shots. The policy shift, announced in March 2025, has drawn backlash from the creative community who see it as stifling user autonomy and benefiting Dribbble’s financial interests. In response, Kuznetsov is reportedly working with investors to launch a rival platform that challenges Dribbble's closed ecosystem approach. This development highlights wider tensions in digital creative marketplaces between platform control and designer independence.