Yahoo Groups Shutting Down - Dec 14, 2019 (UPDATED)

[morgandawn]

(Updated Oct 25, 2019)

Starting Oct 28, 2019 no new files (photos, documents, etc) will be allowed to be uploaded. Starting Dec 14, 2019, Yahoo Groups will be limited to emails only - functions like digest will be eliminated and all files and photos will be deleted. Admins will have limited tools and all groups will be invite only. And archives of existing messages will not longer be accessible.

What To Do?

I have a step by step guide here. The short version

1. Admins - back up your Groups and decide whether and where to move
2. Members - back up your Groups - don't leave this to the admins.
3. Everyone - consider documenting Yahoo Groups on Fanlore, help spread the word

The OTW has made an announcement. Their Open Doors preservation program is open to  providing storage of Yahoo Groups backups that are assembled by moderators and non-moderators alike. Details here.

Fans are gathering on a Discord Channel to chat and ask for and give help:  https://discord.gg/ek2xFyJ (updated invite)

Please follow the Yahoo Group Rescue Tumblr for updates

 

Comments

[morgandawn]

What I can do is put together a Google form where people can submit the mailing list and it shows up on a spreadsheet (like this one: https://tinyurl.com/yyncxewj )

It will then be up to fandom to start pushing out the message

[doranwen]

*nod* I've been adding groups to that as I archive them, but I do wonder how the ones got on there that say "Unassigned". The form I've found only lets you put "pending" or "complete" and if I can't work on them at all, I can't use those to put on there. What you almost need is a second tab that's called "Needs archiving!" and a different form for people to submit ones they think ought to be saved but that need members to archive them. But I don't know, I may be overthinking it. I just know I have four tabs open of groups that I want to be able to download but can't yet access the messages to see them. :/

(The trouble is that I never joined them back when they were active because I didn't get into the fandoms until years after their heyday - my perennial problem, lol.)

Edit: (upon re-reading) That is, to say, yeah, I would totally go for a spreadsheet of "these groups need saving! Check to see if you're a member of one of them!" and then ask people to share that link everywhere (and have it link to your guide so they can click on, say at the top of the sheet, something like "How do I save this group? Click here to read more")

I could already add about eight groups that haven't approved me yet, but that was just from today, it may be that someone will see their email tomorrow morning and approve me to access. I've backed up over two dozen groups at least now… Anything in my fandoms that had fic (and sometimes serious discussion if I think it might be worth it) that isn't on the list already.

I can get people to post a link on the Yuletide Discord about it, if they haven't already (I'm not on Discord because I can't stand the emojis and they won't make it possible for one to individually control one's ability to see them). If so, what link should I share - this post?