Flickr Users Protest Video Sharing

The photo-sharing has experienced a user backlash from the video-sharing features it added on Tuesday, from those who claim video has no place in a community for photographers.

As the saying goes, “Sometimes less is more.” And in the case of adding video to Flickr, many of the site’s users seem to believe it. In the three days since Flickr added video sharing on Tuesday, users have banded together to protest the new capabilities, claiming that video doesn’t belong on Flickr and that it will detract from the community.

“We all joined Flickr because of it’s dedication to photography and photographers, and we want Flickr to remain true to this dedication,” says one group’s petition. “It is our request that this feature and addition to Flickr be removed.”

The largest protest group, “We Say NO to Videos on Flickr,” has already garnered over 25,000 members. However, in online discussions of the new features, Flickr staffers remain adamant that the site will not bend. “We’re sorry, but video is here to stay,” wrote staffer Heather Champ in a feedback thread. “We need to continue to improve, release new features and iterate.”