Flickr adding tags - is it just me?

mickledore

mickledore

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Can't see that this has been mentioned, but I've just noticed that flickr is adding tags to all my pictures.

This pic...


Ou est le Maillot Jaune? by Frank Yates2010, on Flickr

...has the tags "blackandwhite" "monochrome" "bike" "vehicle" and "outdoor" added, and I certainly didn't put them there. Many of my shots now seem to be affected. The tag "outdoor" seems to be a favourite.

Anyone else having the same problem?
 
I put a small border on my images sometimes so Flickr tag it with 'photo border'

Surprised they don't tag it with 'photograph' or 'image'
 
Why is that good? It just looks like more Flikr interference.
 
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Maybe I don't care, as I don't use tags for organizing my photos. I use albums instead. But I agree, an option for switching auto tags off, could solve the problem.
 
Hmmmm - uploaded yesterday
Tags: Cave, Outdoor, Cavern, Landscape, Water, Creek

'Creek' :facepalm:
'Outdoor' (n)
Definitely wasn't me...
17159143684_a1e78ce8ae_z.jpg
 
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ynot said:
You can always delete the tags that they add
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Yes you can (at least I can) just hover over the tag & click on the little x

I don't personally like them adding tags & they're time consuming to delete, so would be better to have an opt out option.
 
I wouldn't mind the tags (I really couldn't be bothered to add my own) but it would be nice if they got them right. An image of sunspots tagged 'lunar, round, circle, full moon, black background'................
 
I don't understand why anyone would not want tags, you are uploading your photos to a photo SHARING website, what Flickr wants to do is allow you to SHARE your photos with more people who might be able to find them by using using the search function, and adding tags massively increases your chances of someone else finding your photos

I don't know why you would upload photos to Flickr if you didn't want anyone else to look at them

Also, it's got nothing to do with organising your photos, it all to do with increasing your chances that someone will be able to find your photo by doing a simple search
 
I put pictures on Flikr to share them with friends, family and for posting in some photography forums for individual reasons. I have no interest in random strangers around the world looking at them. Increasing someone's chance of finding my pictures using a search is pointless to me. The less junk and fewer little icons they attach to my pictures the better. The advantage of Flikr is there are apps on my TV, phone and PC that make it convenient. I also use Picasa. Neither are particularly good. But until I have an alternative I'll use them. It's not "all about social networking" or something.
 
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I can't say I'm particularly bothered with the tags. They seem to be fairly accurate in the most. If they are not accurate and that bothers me, they can easily be removed, if it doesn't bother me I can leave them with no effect on me.

ianp5a said:
I put pictures on Flikr to share them with friends, family and for posting in some photography forums for individual reasons. I have no interest in random strangers around the world looking at them. Increasing someone's chance of finding my pictures using a search is pointless to me. The less junk and fewer little icons they attach to my pictures the better. The advantage of Flikr is there are apps on my TV, phone and PC that make it convenient. I also use Picasa. Neither are particularly good. But until I have an alternative I'll use them.
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Privacy settings would allow you to use Flickr in the way you describe, where friends and family only can view your images.
 
ianp5a said:
I put pictures on Flikr to share them with friends, family and for posting in some photography forums for individual reasons. I have no interest in random strangers around the world looking at them. Increasing someone's chance of finding my pictures using a search is pointless to me. The less junk and fewer little icons they attach to my pictures the better. The advantage of Flikr is there are apps on my TV, phone and PC that make it convenient. I also use Picasa. Neither are particularly good. But until I have an alternative I'll use them. It's not "all about social networking" or something.
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But that is like having a private conversation with somebody by using Facebook or Twitter

The whole point of Flickr is that it is a photo SHARING site

But if you really don't want anyone else to see them simply change your privacy settings, and i also can't see how a few tags further down the page from your photo can in any way spoil or detract from anyone's viewing pleasure of a photograph, it's not like they are plastered across the centre of the photo or anything
 
I hadn't noticed this. Thanks for the heads up. It's worse than you think. If you have added keywords to pictures in Lightroom and deleted them at the upload stage Flickr is reinstating them.
 
I keep the meaningful tags that Flickr put on. Ones that are an accurate description of the image that maybe I hadn't thought of, but 'photo border' 'inside' or 'outdoor' I can do without.

Anyone that is searching for an image using 'outdoor' is a penny short of a pound.
 
I have a requirement that the only tags on my posted images are chosen by me. It's a question of purpose and integrity. And why should I have to delete gratuitous tags such as 'serene', 'abstract' or 'text'?

Ok, Flickr's a free resource, and this auto-tagging is obviously part of their business model (they sell advertising). Fair enough? But consider a downside: increased tagging might make it more likely that random people come across your images in searches, and some of them may be prone to using such images without acknowledgement ...
 
Barrysprout said:
Privacy settings would allow you to use Flickr in the way you describe, where friends and family only can view your images.
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Yes. It still tags them though.

rpsmith79 said:
But that is like having a private conversation with somebody by using Facebook or Twitter
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OK. But I thought people have to join Facebook before they can see pictures? I don't need to check if people are on Flikr.
rpsmith79 said:
The whole point of Flickr is that it is a photo SHARING site
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You don't need tags, or any other crap, to share pictures. I don't need my pictures to be found by strangers to share them. That might be your thing, but I'm just getting on with sharing pictures as it suits me. The less crap and Flikr screw-ups the better. I don't know why some people are obsessed with strangers looking at their pictures unless they are trying to sell them.
 
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ianp5a said:
Yes. It still tags them though.
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It does but I fail to see how that could be a problem on a private image.

ianp5a said:
OK. But I thought people have to join Facebook before they can see pictures? I don't need to check if people are on Flikr.
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Privacy options can be selected for anyone to view, only Flickr members to view or only friends and family.

ianp5a said:
You don't need tags or any other crap to share pictures. I don't need my pictures to be found by strangers to share them.
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No you don't need tags but again I can't see why them being there could cause a problem. As far as I'm aware images on Flickr have always been searchable on loose terms even without tags being added by users, the difference now is that you can see them. And again strangers cannot see your pictures if you don't want them too.

In saying all that I fail to see why Flickr cannot simply add an opt out for people who don't want auto tags added.
 
Opt out of tags? Ah! Flikr is typically short of customisation options.
 
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ianp5a said:
Yes. It still tags them though.

I don't know why some people are obsessed with strangers looking at their pictures unless they are trying to sell them.
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On the flip side, i don't know why anyone would not want other people to enjoy their photographs (unless of course they are of family members and not wanting strangers to look at them etc)

The whole reason i take photographs is so that people can look at them and enjoy them, and i have never sold (or even thought of selling) any of my work, i wouldn't call that an obsession though
 
rpsmith79 said:
On the flip side, i don't know why anyone would not want other people to enjoy their photographs
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As long as it doesn't affect me I'm happy. I'm never going to find out.

rpsmith79 said:
, i wouldn't call that an obsession though
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Yes. You are right. However some people seem to think it's important. And important for everyone. It seems to me like they have fallen under Flikr's spell.
 
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The reason I tag my photos is so that people who are interested in the same kind of photographs can easily find them. Or so that years later I can find it. That's how I've got a lot of good advice from people better than me, and have been able to help others with what I've learned. BTW, it's quite sensible to use a tag like "outdoors". It's a qualifier, not the only thing you'd search on. For example, the problems of taking flower or bug portraits out of doors are quite different from those indoors. Same goes for architectural shots indoors or outdoors.
 
why is flickr adding tags a bad thing, they are only suggested tags. i quite like the feature myself so dont have a problem with it, if it gets my photos seen more then so be it
 
lemo said:
Why do you add your pictures to flickr? I do it, for people can see them. If they are easier to find it's better.
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I use Flickr as a hosting site to enable me to show them on here. Actually, I started using Flickr to share on another site which didn't have its own gallery and have kept using it.

Jannyfox said:
I wouldn't mind the tags (I really couldn't be bothered to add my own) but it would be nice if they got them right. An image of sunspots tagged 'lunar, round, circle, full moon, black background'................
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Apparently the Red Arrows and the Vulcan are birds and planes - just not Superman! The old Jaguar at DZP (Sovereign) is apparently an insect but their otters are birds. One of their tigers is a cat though (but the same shot is also tagged as a dog!) Doesn't appear to be able to count either - plenty of cars are labelled as bikes despite being shot from above (open wheeled vintage racers.)

rpsmith79 said:
I don't understand why anyone would not want tags, you are uploading your photos to a photo SHARING website, what Flickr wants to do is allow you to SHARE your photos with more people who might be able to find them by using using the search function, and adding tags massively increases your chances of someone else finding your photos

I don't know why you would upload photos to Flickr if you didn't want anyone else to look at them

Also, it's got nothing to do with organising your photos, it all to do with increasing your chances that someone will be able to find your photo by doing a simple search
Click to expand...

What Flickr wants is for you to let their partners find images that suit their needs quickly so they can sell them on your behalf (and if you're very lucky, they'll pay you a few pence per use...)
 
odd no tags and no new flickr.. mine is always logged in but seems there was some kinda update a week or so ago but ive seen no change at all. maybe i need to log out first
 
Very inconsiderate of Flickr not to provide an opt out. What are they thinking - no regard for the wishes of their users at all?
 
I can only see this an issue for users looking for specific images and finding a stream of incorrectly auto-tagged stuff. The flip side is your search might return a whole host of images that might otherwise have been missing so it's swings and roundabouts. Can't see how this impacts the uploader though.

I retain my Lightroom tags when I upload to Flickr. The terms Flickr applies seem to be so generic I'd never use them anyway, and I just ignore any that are wrong (I don't want to spend time correcting Flickr's mistakes).

If it transpires this is the groundwork for some new money making scheme then there might be a problem, but as things stand, no biggy...
 
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