Flickr adds Video

The photograph sharing website Flickr has added the option of uploading videos - the link goes to the Help page which has more information. There are limitations on the service - 90 seconds is the maximum length that will show, even if the video is longer and the service is limited to Pro accounts. Videos also cannot be downloaded, just embedded, if the rights owner allows. Adult content isn't allowed, and I loved the comment in the FAQ "Your “beautiful wife” should not be moving."

It's a fairly logical step for Yahoo to take, though it's not going to worry YouTube any time soon. However, the Flickrites are up in arms about this whole affair, and the 'We say NO to videos on Flickr' has over 12,000 members, with more joining every minute. To be honest, I doubt this is going to cause Flickr any sleepless nights since they have weathered storms of protests before, such as the censorship of images in certain countries around the world from last June.

The advanced search option has been updated to include the ability to search by media type and videos can be included or excluded from the search process. Videos are included in photostreams in the same way that photographs are, with the option of playing the video or just looking at a still (taken from about 15% into the video).

I can see the value of allowing this type of media - it's fairly obvious why Yahoo would want to do it from their viewpoint, and it's a simple and easy way to try and get their users to post video to their site rather than lose them to Big G across the way. I can also see benefits for users - after all, if I'm interested in Groombridge Place, why would my interest stop at images, when I can have video as well? However, one could also argue that in that case why not add in podcasts and textual information too. The argument 'it's pictures, just not as we know them' doesn't hold up that well. I think Flickr has made a rod for its own back, in that it's always been a photographic site and has attracted a lot of photographers, as well as people who just take family snaps. They're not going to take kindly to their home being messed around with.

However, as I've said, I don't think Flickr will care that much and they'll weather this storm, but YouTube has nothing to worry about.