Editing Flickr (section)

==History==
Flickr was launched on February 10, 2004, by [[Ludicorp]], a [[Vancouver]]-based company founded by [[Stewart Butterfield]] and [[Caterina Fake]]. The service emerged from tools originally created for Ludicorp's ''Game Neverending'', a web-based [[massively multiplayer online game]]. Flickr proved a more feasible project, and ultimately ''Game Neverending'' was shelved.<ref>{{cite news|last=Graham|first=Jefferson|title=Flickr of Idea on a Gaming Project Led to Photo Website|work=[[USA Today]]|date=February 27, 2006|url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2006-02-27-flickr_x.htm|access-date=September 4, 2006|archive-date=July 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714014139/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2006-02-27-flickr_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Butterfield later launched a similar online game, [[Glitch (video game)|''Glitch'']], which was shut down on November 14, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/1783127/can-a-game-that-wants-you-to-play-nice-become-a-blockbuster|title=A Flickr Founder's Glitch: Can A Game That Wants You To Play Nice Be A Blockbuster?|publisher=Fast Company|date=September 27, 2011|access-date=September 30, 2011|archive-date=July 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712030522/http://www.fastcompany.com/1783127/can-a-game-that-wants-you-to-play-nice-become-a-blockbuster|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lunden|first=Ingrid|title=As Flickr Co-Founder Butterfield Shuts Down Glitch, Is He Planning A New Photo Service? 'You Will Know It Well,' He Says|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/11/15/as-flickr-co-founder-butterfield-shuts-down-glitch-is-he-planning-a-new-photo-service-you-will-know-it-well-he-says/|work=[[TechCrunch]]|access-date=July 24, 2013|date=November 15, 2012|archive-date=July 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705182912/https://techcrunch.com/2012/11/15/as-flickr-co-founder-butterfield-shuts-down-glitch-is-he-planning-a-new-photo-service-you-will-know-it-well-he-says/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Early versions of Flickr focused on a [[chat room]] called FlickrLive, with real-time photo exchange capabilities.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tynan|first=Dan|title=Photo Sharing Gone Wild|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/116576/article.html|work=[[PC World]]|access-date=July 26, 2013|date=June 24, 2004|archive-date=October 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001131436/https://www.pcworld.com/article/116576/article.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The successive evolutions focused more on the uploading and filing back-end for individual users and the chat room was buried in the site map. It was eventually dropped as Flickr's back-end systems evolved away from ''Game Neverending''{{'}}s codebase.<ref>{{cite web|last=Garrett|first=Jesse James|title=An Interview with Flickr's Eric Costello|url=http://www.adaptivepath.org/ideas/e000519|work=Adaptive Path|access-date=July 26, 2013|date=August 4, 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610133433/http://adaptivepath.org/ideas/e000519/|archive-date=June 10, 2016}}</ref> Key features of Flickr not initially present are [[tag (metadata)|tags]], marking photos as favorites, group photo pools and interestingness, for which a patent was granted.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US20060242139A1/en|title=US Patent Application 20060242139: Interestingness Ranking of Media Objects|work=Butterfield; Daniel S.; et al.|date=October 26, 2006|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-date=December 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221211153259/https://patents.google.com/patent/US20060242139A1/en|url-status=live}}</ref>

In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs and an [[online community]], in 2004, the service was widely used by photo researchers and by bloggers to host images that they embed in blogs and [[social media]].<ref>{{cite magazine | first=Daniel | last=Terdiman | title=Photo Site a Hit With Bloggers | url=https://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/12/65958 | quote=Flickr enables users to post photos from nearly any camera phone or directly from a PC. It also allows users to post photos from their accounts or from their cameras to most widely used blog services. The result is that an increasing number of bloggers are regularly posting photos from their Flickr accounts. | magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] | author-link=Daniel Terdiman | date=December 9, 2004 | access-date=March 7, 2017 | archive-date=December 17, 2012 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20121217203841/http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/12/65958 | url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Yahoo!]] acquired Ludicorp and Flickr on March 20, 2005.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB111136815551984786 |work=[[Wall Street Journal #Website|Wall Street Journal]] |first=Kevin J. |last=Delaney |title=Yahoo Acquires Flickr Creator |date=March 20, 2005 |access-date=February 28, 2024 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229005116/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB111136815551984786 |url-status=live }}</ref> The acquisition reportedly cost between $22 million and $25 million.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/2014/08/the-most-fascinating-profile-youll-ever-read-about-a-guy-and-his-boring-startup/ |work=[[Wired (magazine)#Website|Wired]] |first=Mat |last=Honan |title=The Most Fascinating Profile You'll Ever Read About a Guy and His Boring Startup |date=August 7, 2014 |access-date=September 21, 2014 |archive-date=December 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161206125151/https://www.wired.com/2014/08/the-most-fascinating-profile-youll-ever-read-about-a-guy-and-his-boring-startup/ |url-status=live }}</ref> During the week of June 26, 2005 to July 2, 2005, all content was migrated from servers in Canada to servers in the United States, and all resulting data became subject to [[Law of the United States|United States federal law]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Data Moving to U.S. Very Soon! |work=Flickr |date=June 10, 2005 |url=https://www.flickr.com/forums/help/8280/ |access-date=September 4, 2006 |archive-date=January 9, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070109212032/http://flickr.com/forums/help/8280/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{explain|date=January 2022}} On May 3, 2007, Yahoo! announced that [[Yahoo! Photos]] would close down on September 20, 2007, after which all photos would be deleted; users were encouraged to migrate to Flickr.<ref>{{cite news|title=Yahoo Photos Going Dark as Flickr Shines On|work=[[USA Today]]|url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/2007-05-03-yahoo-photos-flickr_N.htm|access-date=May 30, 2007|first=Jefferson|last=Graham|date=May 3, 2007|archive-date=September 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924054832/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/2007-05-03-yahoo-photos-flickr_N.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> On January 31, 2007, Flickr announced that, to continue using the service, "Old Skool" members (those who had joined before the Yahoo! acquisition) would be required to associate their account with a Yahoo! identity by March 15, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yahoo IDs, Signing in and Screen Names |work=Flickr |url=https://flickr.com/help/signin/ |access-date=February 1, 2007 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111728/https://www.flickr.com/help/signin/ |url-status=live }}</ref> That move was criticized by some users.<ref>{{cite news |title=Flickr to Require Yahoo Usernames |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6316761.stm |date=February 1, 2007 |access-date=June 15, 2007 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801104459/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6316761.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Flickr upgraded its services from "[[Software release life cycle#BETA|beta]]" to "[[Software release life cycle|gamma]]" status on May 16, 2006, the changes attracted positive attention from [[Lifehacker]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Pash|first=Adam|title=Flickr Upgrades to Gamma|url=http://lifehacker.com/174217/flickr-upgrades-to-gamma|work=[[Lifehacker]]|access-date=July 26, 2013|date=May 16, 2006|archive-date=August 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811143311/http://lifehacker.com/174217/flickr-upgrades-to-gamma|url-status=live}}</ref> On December 13, 2006, upload limits on free accounts were increased to 100 MB a month (from 20 MB) and were removed from Flickr Pro accounts, which originally had a 2 GB per month limit.<ref>{{cite web|title=Flickr Gifts and Unlimited Uploads|work=[[Mashable]]|url=http://mashable.com/2006/12/13/flickr-gifts-and-unlimited-uploads/|access-date=July 26, 2013|date=December 13, 2006|last=Cashmore|first=Pete|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806114642/https://mashable.com/2006/12/13/flickr-gifts-and-unlimited-uploads/|url-status=live}}</ref> On April 9, 2008, Flickr began allowing paid subscribers to upload videos, limited to 90 seconds in length and 150 MB in size. On March 2, 2009, Flickr added the facility to upload and view [[High-definition video|HD videos]], and began allowing free users to upload normal-resolution video. At the same time, the set limit for free accounts was lifted.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lowensohn|first=Josh|title=Flickr Video Goes HD, Tells Time|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10185433-2.html|work=[[CNET]]|access-date=July 26, 2013|date=March 2, 2009|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806211452/https://www.cnet.com/17939_109-10185433-2.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2009, Flickr announced a partnership with [[Getty Images]] in which selected users could submit photographs for [[stock photography]] usage and receive payment. On June 16, 2010, this was changed so that users could label images as suitable for stock use themselves.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shiels |first=Maggie |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8744817.stm |title=Getty Taps into Flickr Snappers |work=[[BBC News]] |date=June 17, 2010 |access-date=May 21, 2013 |archive-date=August 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811145239/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8744817.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File: How many public photos are uploaded to Flickr every day, month, year? (6855169886).png|thumb|Graph of Flickr public uploads, which peaked in 2013–2015 before the launch of [[Google Photos]]]]

{{anchor|2013 Flickr upgrade}}On May 20, 2013, Flickr launched the first stage of a major site redesign, introducing a "Justified View" close-spaced photo layout<ref>{{cite web |last=King |first=Phil |url=http://blog.flickr.net/en/2012/02/28/announcing-justified-view/ |title=Announcing the Justified View " Flickr Blog |publisher=Blog.flickr.net |date=February 28, 2012 |access-date=April 4, 2014 |archive-date=March 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331160339/http://blog.flickr.net/en/2012/02/28/announcing-justified-view/ |url-status=live }}</ref> browsed via "infinite scrolling" and adding new features, including one [[terabyte]] of free storage for all users, a scrolling home page (mainly of contacts photos and comments) and updated [[Android (operating system)|Android]] app.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/05/20/flickr-gets-a-huge-revamp-with-hi-res-image-filled-ui-new-android-app-and-1tb-of-free-storage/|title=Flickr Gets A Huge Revamp With Hi-Res Image-Filled UI, New Android App and 1TB of Free Storage|date=May 20, 2013|last=Crook|first=Jordan|work=[[TechCrunch]]|access-date=May 21, 2013|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111222934/https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_5b5460a3-6b05-4640-a480-ec3f0a7453cf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CNET">{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57585276-93/yahoo-wants-to-make-flickr-awesome-again/|title=Yahoo Wants to Make Flickr 'Awesome Again'|first=Shara|last=Tibken|work=[[CNET]]|date=May 20, 2013|access-date=May 21, 2013|archive-date=August 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130816170007/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57585276-93/yahoo-wants-to-make-flickr-awesome-again/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Justified View is paginated between 72 and 360 photos per page but unpaginated in search result presentation. ''Tech Radar'' described the new style Flickr as representing a "sea change" in its purpose.<ref>{{cite web|first=Gary|last=Marshall|url=http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/photography-video-capture/new-flickr-has-yahoo-lost-its-mind--1153038|title=New Flickr: Has Yahoo Lost Its Mind?|work=[[TechRadar]]|date=May 21, 2013|access-date=May 21, 2013|archive-date=May 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522041030/https://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/photography-video-capture/new-flickr-has-yahoo-lost-its-mind--1153038|url-status=live}}</ref> Many users criticized the changes, and the site's help forum received thousands of negative comments.<ref>{{cite web |last=Shaw |first=Gillian |url=http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2013/05/21/busy-monday-for-yahoo-acquires-tumblr-announces-flickr-overhaul/ |title=Yahoo Acquires Tumblr, Announces Flickr Overhaul |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |date=May 17, 2013 |access-date=May 23, 2013 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220457/http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2013/05/21/busy-monday-for-yahoo-acquires-tumblr-announces-flickr-overhaul/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> On March 25, 2014, Flickr's New Photo Experience, a user interface redesign, left beta.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/flickrs-new-photo-experience-leaves-beta-offers-improved-design-faster-browsing/|title=Flickr's new 'photo experience' leaves beta, offers improved design, faster browsing|last=Esser|first=Felix|work=[[Digital Trends]]|date=March 28, 2014|access-date=April 12, 2014|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806214126/https://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/flickrs-new-photo-experience-leaves-beta-offers-improved-design-faster-browsing/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 7, 2015, [[Yahoo!]] overhauled the site, adding a revamped Camera Roll, a new way to upload photos, and upgraded the site's apps. The new Uploadr application was made available for Macs, Windows and mobile devices.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Molina |first1=Brett |title=Yahoo unveils makeover for Flickr |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/05/07/yahoo-flickr/70945018/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |work=USA Today |date=2015-05-07 |archive-date=December 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206133943/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/05/07/yahoo-flickr/70945018/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2018, Yahoo! (owned by Verizon at that point) sold Flickr to [[SmugMug]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/23/flickr-bought-by-smugmug-yahoo-breakup "Flickr Bought by Smugmug as Yahoo Breakup Begins"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240622050031/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/23/flickr-bought-by-smugmug-yahoo-breakup |date=June 22, 2024 }}, ''[[The Guardian]]'', April 23, 2018.</ref>

In early May 2019, SmugMug announced the migration of Flickr data, involving 100+ million accounts and billions of photos and videos, from the servers of former owner Yahoo! to [[Amazon Web Services]] (AWS), in a planned 12-hour transition to occur on May 22, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://blog.flickr.net/en/2019/05/08/planned-maintenance-and-flickr-downtime/ |title=Planned maintenance and Flickr downtime |date=2019-05-08 |website=Flickr Blog |language=en |access-date=2019-05-23 |archive-date=December 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206133924/https://blog.flickr.net/en/2019/05/08/planned-maintenance-and-flickr-downtime/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2023, Flickr announced the development of the Print Shop feature that was being tested with a list of approved sellers. The Print shop feature allows photographers to sell prints via a storefront, and allows purchases from consumers. The feature was to allow only approved members access to it, but the criteria for that were yet to be announced.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Segarra |first=Lisa Marie |date=2023-01-17 |title=Flickr to Allow Photographers to Sell Prints |url=https://petapixel.com/2023/01/17/flickr-to-allow-photographers-to-sell-prints/ |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=PetaPixel |language=en |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530113628/https://petapixel.com/2023/01/17/flickr-to-allow-photographers-to-sell-prints/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Corporate changes===
On June 13, 2008, Flickr co-founder [[Stewart Butterfield]] announced his resignation on July 12, 2008, which followed that of his wife and co-founder [[Caterina Fake]], who left the company on the same day.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2008/06/17/flickr-co-founders-join-mass-exodus-from-yahoo/ |title=Flickr Co-founders Join Mass Exodus From Yahoo |work=[[TechCrunch]] |date=June 17, 2008 |last=Arrington |first=Michael |access-date=May 21, 2013 |archive-date=April 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429044252/https://techcrunch.com/2008/06/17/flickr-co-founders-join-mass-exodus-from-yahoo/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Butterfield wrote a humorous resignation letter to [[Brad Garlinghouse]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Fitzsimmons|first=Caitlin|title='I don't need no fancy parties' says Flickr Founder in Resignation Letter|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jun/19/digitalmedia.yahoo|access-date=July 24, 2013|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=June 19, 2008|location=London|archive-date=December 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206152736/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jun/19/digitalmedia.yahoo|url-status=live}}</ref>

On December 14, 2008, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that three employees had been laid off as Yahoo! continued to reduce its workforce<ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Bobbie |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2008/dec/11/yahoo-flickr-layoffs |title=Now Flickr Is Hit by Yahoo Layoffs |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=December 11, 2008 |access-date=March 16, 2010 |location=London |archive-date=December 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206152755/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2008/dec/11/yahoo-flickr-layoffs |url-status=live }}</ref> and, on November 30, 2010, ''[[CNET]]'' reported Yahoo! was on the verge of a major layoff, affecting 10% to 20% of its workforce. Flickr was specifically named as a target for these layoffs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20024161-36.html |title=Yahoo Said to Be Rolling Out Layoffs |first=Caroline |last=McCarthy |work=[[CNET]] |date=November 30, 2010 |access-date=July 24, 2013 |archive-date=July 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725222239/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20024161-36.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On June 13, 2017, [[Verizon Communications]] acquired Yahoo!, including Flickr.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/verizon-completes-yahoo-acquisition-creating-a-diverse-house-of-50-brands-under-new-oath-subsidiary-300472958.html |title=Verizon completes Yahoo acquisition, creating a diverse house of 50+ brands under new Oath subsidiary |publisher=[[PR Newswire]] |date=June 13, 2017 |access-date=April 24, 2018 |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118200345/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/verizon-completes-yahoo-acquisition-creating-a-diverse-house-of-50-brands-under-new-oath-subsidiary-300472958.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://petapixel.com/2016/07/25/verizon-flickr-via-4-8b-yahoo-acquisition/ |title=Verizon to Own Flickr via $4.8B Yahoo Acquisition |work=PetaPixel |date=July 25, 2016 |access-date=September 19, 2016 |archive-date=September 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909091647/https://petapixel.com/2016/07/25/verizon-flickr-via-4-8b-yahoo-acquisition/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Verizon reorganized Yahoo!, along with AOL, into a new umbrella company, Oath, which was renamed as [[Verizon Media]] on January 8, 2019.

On April 20, 2018, [[SmugMug]] acquired Flickr from Verizon's Oath and put an end to Flickr 1 TB storage plan for free users. Those users had until February 5, 2019, to convert to "Pro" accounts or their photo streams would be reduced to a maximum of 1,000 pictures.<ref name="sm">{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/04/20/smugmug-buys-flickr-verizon-oath/537377002/ |title=Exclusive: Flickr Bought by SmugMug, Which Vows to Revitalize the Photo Service |publisher=[[Gannett Company]] |work=[[USA Today]] |date=April 20, 2018 |last=Guynn |first=Jessica |access-date=April 20, 2018 |archive-date=April 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421031848/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/04/20/smugmug-buys-flickr-verizon-oath/537377002/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.flickr.net/en/2018/11/01/changing-flickr-free-accounts-1000-photos/|title=Why we're changing Flickr free accounts|date=2018-11-01|website=Flickr Blog|language=en|access-date=2019-01-19|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112034029/https://blog.flickr.net/en/2018/11/01/changing-flickr-free-accounts-1000-photos/|url-status=live}}</ref> The deadline was later extended to March 12, 2019. The reasons cited were that the existing model was unsustainable by a medium-sized company which could not get revenues by selling profiles of the users. The sentiment was generally agreed on among the professionals.<ref name="tiffany">{{cite news |last1=Tiffany |first1=Kaitlyn |title=Flickr will soon start deleting photos — and massive chunks of internet history |url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/6/18214046/flickr-free-storage-ends-digital-photo-archive-history |work=Vox |date=6 February 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |archive-date=December 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206153110/https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/6/18214046/flickr-free-storage-ends-digital-photo-archive-history |url-status=live }}</ref>  This policy, however, was never implemented and was abandoned in March, 2022 in favor of a policy that restricted content unless the user upgraded and paid for a Pro account.<ref name=FlickrForever>{{cite news|last1=Seville|first1=Alex|title=Flickr forever: Creating the safest, most inclusive photography community on the planet.|date=2022-03-17|work=Flickr Blog|url=https://blog.flickr.net/en/2022/03/17/flickr-forever-2022/|access-date=2022-04-02|archive-date=June 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604171501/https://blog.flickr.net/en/2022/03/17/flickr-forever-2022/|url-status=live}}</ref>