Scobleizer - Latest Comments in Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

mp3fake — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:38:51 -0000

But there is radical differences given project from heap other such resource? And insofar good support?

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Jeremy — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:48:14 -0000

Sounds like a good topic for an episode of The Montel Williams Show...

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Robert Scoble — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:32:49 -0000

Jake: it wasn't a bar. I looked in and it looked more like a museum to me with more than 2,000 photos being displayed. It wasn't a "drinking fest" it was a celebration of four years of Flickr.

But, no matter, I'm not arguing with you guys anymore. The real mistake is the invite didn't say anything about it being 21-and-older and I didn't think that it was going to be adult-only, so I didn't ask.

Funny enough, MySpace is throwing a party with a band and a DJ and a bar and all that and they said "all ages welcome." I guess you better not come to that, since people who want to live life without being surrounded by kids won't be happy there.

Kids weren't allowed at the Facebook party? Hmmm, I saw many 18 year olds there. The one thing I should have complained about is not being able to take my backpack into that one. But, I couldn't really complain because I got an email that said "don't bring bags."

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Jake McKee — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:38:39 -0000

@Robert, come on man, this is ridiculous. You said:

> "If you want an adult night out, go to a Playboy party."

Wow. So when my wife and I leave the baby with the in-laws and head out with another couple to get away from the kids for a while, the only viable destination has to be sponsored by Playboy? Or when I want date night with the wife, the movie we see should be softcore porn? That's beyond foolish, and hopefully you don't actually mean it.

"Photography should be a family affair and you should expect to have kids involved."

This seems fairly obvious, but you know that Photography and Flickr aren't one in the same, right? That'd be like saying the Facebook party at SXSW equates to the use of social networking.

(As a side note, I didn't hear you complaining about kids not being allowed at the FB SXSW party...)

"Not to mention that my son isn’t your usual kid and is very respectful of adults. Even last night he didn’t get involved in trying to get into the party and waited quietly outside."

Bravo. You've taught your kid great manners, congrats. Seriously. But beyond that, A-List power doesn't (or shouldn't) equate to different treatment.

The craziest thing in this thread, however is this line:
"If you say you don’t want my son around because you want to be 'child free' then that’s an attack on me and my family."

Absolutely, unquestionably false. Wrong, wrong, wrong. This is an aggressively foolish argument to try to make - no one is "attacking" you, your son, or your family by saying they want to attend an event free of kids. They're simply saying that at a bar on a Saturday night, there's an assumption by *most* people that kids are not included.

I honestly can't believe we're having this discussion...

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Robert Scoble — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:54:18 -0000

Nicole: it was a Saturday evening party, which threw me off even more. I thought they were doing that so families could celebrate Flickr's Fourth Birthday. The fact that it was a birthday party threw me off, too. If it were a press conference it'd have been on Tuesday evening and I probably would never have wanted to bring Patrick to it. Patrick loves Flickr, so we thought it'd be really fun to go.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Robert Scoble — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:51:47 -0000

I'd be happy to email it to you. I don't remember it saying 21-and-over when I clicked Approve on Upcoming. I add dozens of stuff to my Upcoming calendar every night and might have forgotten. The email was the one that was in my face, and was on my calendar.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

steve-o — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:42:56 -0000

Have we seen a copy of said invite?

Since you push Upcoming to know where to find you, when marking "attend" on the event, did the invite change from what's there now? Pretty clearly states "Please note that this venue is 21 and above. You'll need photo ID to gain admittance at the door."

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Nicole Simon (Berlin, Germany) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:48:29 -0000

Just a reminder: adults only is not enough. It should explicitly say 21+ - because for international visitors this may come as a surprise if they do not know about the strict requirement to be 21.

In Germany one is considered adult by 18 - and I know more than one story where people had a bad time in their visit to the states because they could not enjoy their time because suddenly they where "childreen" again.

Wether or not an evening pary (it was, right?) is the right space for somebody like Patrick, it should have said so on the invitation just to avoid problems even with some older guys who are like 20. :)

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Vlad — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:43:01 -0000

Deciding unilaterally that "Photography should be family friendly" seems like a big jump. I'm sure more than just "families" use "photography" for things.

You sound like a petulant jerk: "It wasn't the way I wanted it to be, so it sucks and should be changed."

Honestly, you're becoming more histrionic by the day.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

someone — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:41:56 -0000

Kevin : READ THE COMMENTS BY ROBERT IS EMAIL INVITE SAID NOTHING ABOUT AGE

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Kevin Donahue — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:22:16 -0000

I guess I'm missing why having a corporate/users party at a "21 & up" venue is a misstep. When the invite was posted five weeks ago, it was pretty clear -- 21 and up.

I think it would be a mistake to infer some kind of wide-ranging anti-family agenda.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

supervery — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:07:04 -0000

wow
I'm shocked your invite didn't give the age limit
that is crummy communication.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Robert Scoble — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:57:31 -0000

Jeremy: I've taken my son to dozens of events and this is the first time he's been unwelcome (or I wasn't warned ahead of time). I guess the brand promise of Flickr just made it sound like something where kids would be celebrated. No biggie, it got me off my ass to look at the competition again (which is VERY nice) and it also got me to realize I'm going to have to ask every time to avoid wasting time. Either way, I had a nice evening with my son and saw a movie I wouldn't have seen if they had let me in.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Jeremy Toeman — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:28:16 -0000

Hmm.. I was kinda laughing along with you at the beginning of the comment thread Robert, but you are fighting so hard on this that I am in disagreement with you. When it comes to companies and their parties, the DEFAULT is that its not kid-friendly, and I am surprised that you don't assume this...

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Bill — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:26:37 -0000

In fact, having read the community guidelines and yahoo's TOS, I see nothing to back up your claim. More spouting about things you're not sure about?

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Bill — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:23:13 -0000

If flickr bans adult content, they do a very poor job of it. There's porn all over the place there

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Robert Scoble — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 16:09:34 -0000

You're missing the point. The invite I got didn't say a damn thing about being "adult only." And, it's inappropriate for a photo sharing site (that bans adult content, by the way) to only appeal its marketing to adults anyway. Photography is a family affair. If this were a Playboy party, I'd understand. Flickr is something that is bigger than that, in my mind.

If the invite I had received said "adults only, thanks" then I'd probably agree with you. It didn't. Should I send you the email?

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Jeff Hume — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:50:43 -0000

Also, your son might not be a "usual" kid, but there could be a lot of "usual" kids out there who could spoil such an event.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Jeff Hume — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:49:24 -0000

To attack Flickr for having an "adults only" party is pretty ridiculous, especially since it sounds like it was initially advertised as 21+, it was a venue policy, and even after you went anyway they gave you cupcakes and shirts. I'm not sure what else you want Flickr to do to accommodate you. If Flickr wants to have their party at a place like that which serves alcohol and disallows minors, then they can do so.

You shouldn't expect to be able to take children everywhere, that's the reality of our society. To suggest that someone who wants to have a party without children should go to a Playboy party is pretty ridiculous. That's the same as me telling you to go to Chuck E. Cheese if you want to have a party with Children involved.

People often like doing things with other adults for a variety of reasons.

It is not an attack on you to INVITE you to a child free event. You don't have to go. It's their event, you may be an "A list" blogger, but not everything is created with your specific interests in mind. Just because someone doesn't want to spend their leisure time hanging out with other people's children doesn't mean they dislike them or are attacking them or dislike or are attacking the parents of said children.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Gerald Buckley — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 14:24:59 -0000

Know what... that's Flickr's loss (and one more negative bit added to their brand imho). Flickr lost me, for good, when they continued to make boneheaded decisions about copyrights of others and kept taking the wrong side of the arguments. (yes, learned about these first through Thomas H)

Now, I just put my stuff up on my .Mac gallery and call it a day. I don't need a bunch of social umpf behind my photo sharing. Just access control and latitude to do what I want to (within reason). Still wishing for RAW support... someday maybe.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Robert Scoble — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 14:15:41 -0000

Mike: yes, that's exactly what I'm suggesting. Playboy is a brand for adults. If you say you don't want my son around because you want to be "child free" then that's an attack on me and my family. Have a nice day.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Mike McBride — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 14:00:11 -0000

Robert,

So you're suggesting that my desire to not have children around means I want to go to something like a Playboy party? Nice of you to make that assumption about me, really. I appreciate that.

As for the rest of your comment back, well I have counter points, but I'm not going to waste my time here any further if that's the way I'm going to be treated.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Robert Scoble — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:48:41 -0000

Wolf: Flickr has a wide variety of choices where to spend its marketing money. Only a handful of venues decide to be adult only.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Robert Scoble — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:47:44 -0000

Mike: did you realize that Ansel Adams two best photos were taken with his kids in tow?

If you want an adult night out, go to a Playboy party.

Photography should be a family affair and you should expect to have kids involved.

Not to mention that my son isn't your usual kid and is very respectful of adults. Even last night he didn't get involved in trying to get into the party and waited quietly outside.

Re: Flickr’s fourth birthday “adults only”

Mike McBride — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:15:39 -0000

Did it ever occur to you, that there are folks who don't want to attend "family-friendly" events? As someone who made a choice not to have kids, I'm glad for the few opportunities I get to go somewhere and have adult conversations, and even a drink, without having small children run around.

Sorry you were offended, but personally, your comparison of Smugmug's office with the Flickr party makes me much more likely to use Flickr. (It actually makes me want to never work for SmugMug)

Not everyone is looking for the ability to take their kids everywhere.