Since its 2007 inception, microblogging and social networking platform Tumblr has gone through several major changes in management, each with a new strategy and set of rules, but none as drastic as the latest policy revision seemingly prompted by a recent iOS App Store ban.
Owned by Yahoo between 2013 and 2017, then transferred under the supervision of Verizon subsidiary Oath, the New York-based company is finally cracking down on pornographic material.
But while Apple reportedly had a problem with child sexual exploitation and abuse photos routinely shared via the popular social media service, Tumblr appears to be taking a stand against porn in general.
That’s a move many expect to spectacularly backfire, as a 2013 TechCrunch report estimated a whopping 16.6 percent of Tumblr’s total traffic took place on adult blogs. Since Verizon acquired Yahoo, the amount of lewd content allowed on the microblogging platform started to gradually decline, but comprehensive censorship still feels like a risky measure.
Making matters worse, the recently introduced porn-flagging algorithm is... not doing a great job detecting actual vulgarity, which is understandably enraging more and more users. But if Tumblr’s primary goal was to quickly return to the App Store, that’s been achieved by including certain changes to its Community Guidelines in the latest app update, prohibiting “certain kinds of content from being shown on Tumblr.”
You can go right ahead and download or update the app on your iPhone or iPad now, with the same unspecified guidelines revisions listed in the “What’s new” section of Tumblr’s Android counterpart available through Google’s Play Store. You can never be too careful, right?
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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