This was originally brought to my attention elsewhere, but with the amount of photos that will be affected by this id consider it important to bring up here.
A few months ago, SmugMug bought out Flickr from Yahoo, and with that has come a slew of changes in an effort to make the site better. Today, they released a blog post (read more here) outlining some of the bigger changes they are making to the site, notably that theyre reducing the 1TB free storage from all users to a flat 1000 photos per person, unless you buy the pro license ($50/year.) Theyre giving accounts until January 8th, 2018 to move the photos elsewhere, otherwise they will be locked out from them. (Photobucket, anyone?) Flickr is also going one step farther, quoting from the updated homepage:
In short, any old photos will be systemically deleted if you are over this threshold. Since the 1tb limit was added back in 2013, Many photos relating to FIRST and FRC have been added. After only a couple hours of searching, ive managed to find over 130 accounts with over 800,000 photos and videos spanning back to 2001 that could be deleted because of this. There are definitely more accounts affected, but due to Flickr’s search function its a pain to find them all. Ive listed the ones ive found that are at risk already below.
Account List
Abhi Kumar
ADØJA
Akshay Dodeja
Andy Purviance
Astechz
ATA Houston
Autodesk
Aviators Robotics
B
Bears Robotics
Bleep
Booz Allen Hamilton
Brandon M
BumbleB Kfar-Yona
Cathleen
ChimerasTeam1684
Chris Williams
Christina Le
Corsair Robotics 2612 FRC
Crimson Robotics
Cupertino High School Robotics
Cy-Borgs
Dale Schnepp
Dallas_isd
Dark Matter
David Kelly
david laney
Doug Young
Eastern Washington University
Eddy G
Edward Bujak
elisfkc
Erin Robotgrrl
Eureka Factory
ez gopher
FIRST 302 Robotics
FIRST California
FIRST Chesapeake
FIRST in alabama
FIRST Robotics Canada
FIRSTteam236
FL FIRST Competition and Outreach Albums
FRC 2522
FRC Team 2199 Robo-Lions
FRC Team 333 The Megalodons
FRC1899
FRC2930`
FRC492
FRC708
Fusion Jeunesse
George Marchant
GET SMART
Granite City Gearheads
Gus Robotics Team 228
Hilo Viking Robotics
Illiois FIRST
imrobotics
IndianaFIRST Robotics
Instructional Tech
Iowa FRC
Iron Devils
Issaquah Robotics Society
Janie
Jim Hicks
Joe Prep
joseph schaar
Joyful.h
Judybec
Kristen J Richardson
Leland Robotics
Ligerbots FRC2877
Lori George
madeatmidnight
Maine State Credit Union
Matthew Dodd
Matthew Glennon
mhelv11
mike
Monta Vista Robotics Team
Natick SSC
Neobots 2903
New England FIRST
NH FRC
NHS Technology
nick normal
NRG 948
nysFIRSTRobotics
ohsblazerbots
Peng Yavbcp
Perspectivces Charter Schools
Peter Beens
Punahou Robotics
Ratzliff
Regis Jesuit
Richard Murkland
Rick Snyder
Righ Geib
riot crew
robolancers
Robostangs548
Robotics Team 148 - Robowranglers
Runneals Photography
Ryan Bayne
Sandy Biebel
SESRobotics Inc
Sgomola
Shrewsbury Robotics
Southport Robotics
StuyPulse Robotics Team 694
Team 100 Wildhats
Team 2056
Team 254
Team Jester (357)
Team Neutrino
Team Pronto
TeamFetch
TechHOUNDS Team 868
The Boeing Company
The Hackground
thepinkteam
thetompsonfive
thomas sly
Thomas Young
Tim Peterson
Titanium Robotics
tmbrudy
tronic titans
Truck Townthunder
UH-MAES
Ultra Violet
VCS Robotics
VHS Robotics
Viking Robotics
Visit Lubbock
W.A.F.F.L.E.S. Community Robotics
Walnut Valley Robotics
Watertown High School Robotics Team 2423
Wilsonville Spokesman
WRRF Media
Xavier Robotics
Accounts that are already have PRO (FIRSTWA, Daniel Ernst) will be fine, as will any of the accounts listed if they decide to buy into it. Otherwise, unless they move them elsewhere or have copies, these photos will be lost forever. If you have a Flickr account, it may be good to see if youre over the limit, and if so find a new suitable place to store them, unless youre willing to pay $50/year to get the unlimited space back.