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Tumblr to ban adult content starting December 17

Victor Barreiro Jr.

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Tumblr to ban adult content starting December 17
Tumblr CEO Jeff D'Onofrio explains the move to ban adult content was weighed in relation to Tumblr's potential impact 'across different age groups, cultures and mindsets'

MANILA, Philippines – Tumblr announced Monday, December 3, it will begin banning adult content on its service beginning December 17.

The company’s support page related to adult content as well as its community guidelines have been updated to reflect the change, explaining what content will be banned: “Adult content primarily includes photos, videos, or GIFs that show real-life human genitals or female-presenting nipples, and any content – including photos, videos, GIFs and illustrations – that depicts sex acts.”

Tumblr’s announcement follows Apple’s ban of the app on their App Store in November after child sexual abuse material was found on the platform. 

Tumblr added exceptions still remain, namely pictures of women breastfeeding, birth or after-birth moments, as well as other health-related situations, including gender confirmation surgery. Written erotica, nudity connected to political or newsworthy speech, and art-related nudity can still be freely posted on the site.

Users whose posts have been flagged as adult content will be notified via email, and said posts will be reverted to a private setting.

Meanwhile, blogs self-flagged or otherwise flagged by the company as “explicit” based on older policy and before December 17 will have an overlaid content filter over their posts, with specific content “actioned accordingly.” Blog owners will still be able to put up content that falls within the company’s updated policies.

Tumblr CEO Jeff D’Onofrio explained in a blog post that the move to ban adult content was weighed in relation to Tumblr’s potential impact “across different age groups, cultures, and mindsets.”

In weighing the pros and cons of banning adult content, D’Onofrio said “it became clear that without this content we have the opportunity to create a place where more people feel comfortable expressing themselves.”

D’Onofrio added that filtering this content at scale will be done with the aid of automated tools, but he acknowledged the potential for mistakes.

He also promised further transparency when it comes to decisions for Tumblr and bolstering resources for the site, such as updates to the community guidelines and enhancements to Tumblr, as well as finding more content moderators “to interface directly with the community and content.”

Tumblr users may want to export their content ahead of the changes in rules. Rappler.com

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Victor Barreiro Jr.

Victor Barreiro Jr is part of Rappler's Central Desk. An avid patron of role-playing games and science fiction and fantasy shows, he also yearns to do good in the world, and hopes his work with Rappler helps to increase the good that's out there.