Has Tumblr Restricted Content? Let’s Spill the Tea!
Ah, Tumblr. The quirky little corner of the Internet that’s suffered more ups and downs than a rollercoaster on a caffeine high. If you’ve been scrolling through your dashboard wondering why your favorite dark fiction posts have gone the way of the dodo, let’s untangle this mess of content restrictions once and for all!
Restrictions? Spoiler Alert: They’re a Thing! That’s right, Tumblr has implemented a series of content restrictions since the infamous “death of Tumblr” (we all remember the horror show of December 2018, right?). Fret not, these updates aren’t as stealthy as you might think. They’ve been on full display and have evolved into a part of Tumblr’s Terms of Service since January 2020. So yes, this is a real thing, and you should definitely pay attention!
Here’s where it gets juicy: Tumblr plans to stamp out anything they consider to be related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Prepare for the risks associated with posting content that involves even the most vague references to anyone who looks like they’ve just celebrated their 18th birthday. In fact, discussions about your own traumatic experiences can lead to blog bans, which is just absurd. Are we really silencing victims of sexual assault? Tumblr, let’s have a word about your priorities!
But wait, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of some juicy details. The site has categorically kicked to the curb sexually explicit visual material, meaning no explicit acts, genital focus, or even those artistic nudes you thought were safe. Got artistic ambitions? Just remember to label your posts or face the wrath of the ban hammer. The guidelines do allow for some nudity and adult material, provided it’s appropriately tagged as mature content, but good luck to anyone who finds themselves on the other end of a mass report because their protagonist is “literally 5000 years old but looks like a 15-year-old!”
Speaking of caution, many folks have wisely migrated to Archive of Our Own (AO3), the safe haven for those dark fics where Tumblr’s strict rules keep its users on a tight leash. Take that, censorship! There, the only restriction is your own imagination. Just share those links back on Tumblr and gently remind everyone to read the tags carefully!
Now, maybe you’ve been enjoying the unicorns and rainbows of Tumblr’s newfound moderation, but let’s dive deeper. Many people express frustration over Tumblr’s inconsistent enforcement of these guidelines. There’s a swirling storm of ambiguity—who decides what content is acceptable? You don’t want the Tumblr team coming at you with pitchforks over your fanfiction about characters who are coded as minors, with seemingly no investigation into the context of your writing!
If all this has left you understanding why so many are moving on to friendlier alternatives like Aether or Dreamwidth, you’re not alone. As those of you who’ve been around these parts know, it feels like a never-ending loop of fandom history repeating itself. From the days of LiveJournal’s infamous Strikethrough to today’s Tumblr issues: Censorship, you have arrived!
In conclusion, navigating this winding labyrinth of Tumblr content restrictions can feel like a full-time job. If you need any more pointers on how to keep your content safe in the wild world of Tumblr, or if you have questions about specific cases of restricted content, reach out to us! We’re here to help you decode the chaos!
