Flickr and Wikimedia Commons have announced an exciting partnership to enhance accessibility for photos.
The collaboration aims to upgrade the Flickr2Commons tool, making it simpler to upload Creative Commons-licensed images. Flickr has been a significant contributor to Wikimedia Commons, known for being one of the largest sources of databases.
They launched the Flickr Commons program in 2008, in association with the Library of Congress. Last year, the non-profit Flickr Foundation was established to preserve and facilitate access to important historical images.
The renewed partnership between Flickr and Wikimedia Commons, often referred to as ‘Flickypedia,’ is a central project for the Flickr Foundation.
It will involve working closely with the Wikimedia Foundation, supported by the Culture and Heritage team. The primary objective is to enhance the functionality of the Flickr2Commons tool, expand its capabilities, and ensure its longevity.
This joint effort commenced in June, with plans to improve the tool’s ease of use and introduce new features.
Flickr2Commons has been indispensable for the past decade, helping upload around 5.4 million pictures from Flickr to Wikimedia Commons.
Its continued development aims to make it even more user-friendly, allow better tracking of images that transition from one platform to another, and incorporate the endeavors of Structured Data on Commons.
The project will address concerns such as license changes that occur during content migration. Moreover, it seeks community engagement from both Flickr and Wikimedia, involving their input in terms of user interface enhancements and prioritizing features.
Interested individuals can participate in discussions and share their thoughts and ideas on a dedicated page.
The project plan outlines the goals to be accomplished by December. Those interested in photo preservation and accessibility should follow the progress in the coming months.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to stay connected to developments that will benefit photographers and ensure the continued availability of valuable imagery.