Yahoo! Using Flickr To Supplement News Coverage

Via the ever vigilant Zawodny Linklog I see that Yahoo! were using the Flickr tag for hurricanekatrina as a related link in their news coverage.

In a great example of a reciprocal feedback loop, the screengrab of Yahoo! doing this was then posted to Flickr by natekoechley. In his description he wrote:

As Flickr fans know, Flickr can be a fantastic source of current events coverage. User-generated content is powerful and relevant. This is the first time I remember seeing the "power of the people" on the front page of Yahoo! or anywhere else equally "big and public"

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Update: It's been pointed out that outfits like the BBC accepted camera phone pics and video after the London Bombings. That's true, but I still feel that pointing at a raw photo stream is different than receiving public submissions. Besides, who did what isn't important to me, just that it happened.

Good call - I've not seen anybody else do something similar - I think it is a bold step, and one I am envious of. And also a risky step, which I am not envious of. As one comment on the screencap says:

Hm.. how long until the first evil Goatse makes it in there :-/