December 03, 2018
Tumblr users took to social media on Monday after the company announced it plans to ban all NSFW "adult content" on its platform, beginning Dec. 17.
In an official announcement from CEO Jeff D'Onofrio, Tumblr said all posts containing "images, videos, or GIFs that show real-life human genitals or female-presenting nipples" are considered adult content.
"There are no shortage of sites on the internet that feature adult content," the statement reads. "We will leave it to them and focus our efforts on creating the most welcoming environment possible for our community."
Users who have posted material that doesn't comply with the site's new community guidelines will be notified so they can save their content elsewhere as well as have the opportunity to appeal content they feel should be permissible.
The announcement comes two weeks after Apple banned Tumblr from the App Store because some users had posted and downloaded child pornography.
Some users expressed frustration with the platform on Monday, as many artists still use the site as a way to share their work and connect with like-minded communities. Others are worried that content that isn't sexually explicit may be flagged in the process of the ban. Or, that the once-comfortable place for women to view sexual content may be gone.
Tumblr just signed it's own death warrant 💀 Do they not know their niche in the social media landscape? The place served as a great site for underground artists of all content - including those who like SEX
— Brett Gleason (@BrettGleason) December 3, 2018
What's so bad about that? #tumblrisdead https://t.co/zndUitTB2b
Tumblr is reeeeeeeeeally underestimating how much of its user base is there for adult content.https://t.co/OjJNSN89tE pic.twitter.com/ZIpVdXQOH2
— Ryan Brown (@Toadsanime) December 3, 2018
Tumblr was one of the few vectors for grassroots queer art and banning “adult content” will disproportionally stunt and hamstring those artists, so of course that is happening in 2018
— Anthony Oliveira (@meakoopa) December 3, 2018
they are trying to disappear us; live in defiance.
This isn’t funny. @Tumblr has been a safe haven for female sexuality, especially for young women uncomfortable with mainstream pornography. What a massive blow. https://t.co/nrM652IYSq
— ella dawson (@brosandprose) December 3, 2018
What a lousy decision. Adult content is the only reason I use Tumblr https://t.co/sOYgyFWdkr
— roxane gay (@rgay) December 3, 2018
Look at all the explicit sex and nudity in these dragons and dinosaurs I drew. @tumblr your tech is terrible at this. So many of my illustrations are flagged, even ones that have appeared in actual children’s books nationwide. pic.twitter.com/Czd2jBBozI
— RJ Palmer (@arvalis) December 3, 2018
Congratulations to Tumblr on taking a stand against the only thing people still go on Tumblr for
— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) December 3, 2018
tumblr effectively shooting themselves in the foot by banning all nsfw content instead of just going after the porn bots pedophiles and neo-nazis everyone has been complaining about for years is the most tumblr staff thing i have ever seen omg it was absolutely useless. thanks
— 👻🦋 #RBB (@ultseul) December 3, 2018
tumblr: *can't deal with the porn bots*
— .— 𝘫𝘪𝘮 (@xneongravestone) December 3, 2018
apple: *removes tumblr from the appstore*
tumblr: oh shit oh shit
tumblr: *removes any nsfw content*
tumblr: pic.twitter.com/Bur2JD1dvu
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