When Yumna, a 21-year-old Londoner, attended one of Swift's prerelease album-listening parties, known as Secret Sessions, last month, the artist told her that she'd been chosen after taking part in a selfie night. Some hoped that the sale of Tumblr to a new company in August would result in the ban's reversal, but the new owners have said they're keeping the ban on NSFW (not safe for work) content in place. a post with reasons to choose its platform, 13 things that are worth more than Tumblr's $3 million price tag, from an empty lot in San Francisco to a two-bedroom luxury apartment in New York. "It's important to highlight minorities and the LGBTQ community because it makes those feel loved and accepted when they might always not be," she said. "It still, to me feels like this magical place, unlike anywhere else on the internet," said Tumblr's Amanda Brennan. "We'd like to take a moment to reassure all y'all that we have your backs," a post welcoming Tumblr users says. There are reasons people are still drawn to Tumblr, and those reasons are worth acknowledging. since, “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention”. But now Verizon, which acquired Tumblr in 2017, has sold the social network-cum-blog platform. Sign up to 10 Things in Tech You Need to Know Today. Dozens of new Twitter accounts popped up from former Tumblr users who said they were switching social media sites as a result of the new policy. The blogging site, owned by Yahoo parent Verizon, announced earlier this month it would flag and remove "adult content." (Note: there is an actual Tumblr for Dummies book already.I did not write it.) Change information (URL, site pattern, or comment) for a site. Within Swift's Tumblr fandom, it was the discourse around inclusion and visibility for minority fans that resulted in the creation of the LGBTQ, disability and Swifties of Color selfie nights. The decision was met with lots of backlash from users who view the site as a safe space to explore their identity and sexuality through "not safe for work" (NSFW) content. Welcome aboard!". "The Swiftie fandom can be seen as a mini society in itself, and so it is important to celebrate those within this fandom who are ethnic minorities or part of the LGBTQ+ community, just as it is important to do so in society itself," Yumna told me over email. Tumblr is full of NSFW and adult content. A blogging site called Tumblr will be strutting some new-found clout at Fashion Week, with designers making room for dozens of its writers at their shows. Verizon Looks to Unload Tumblr Blogging Site ... a free service with more than 400 million blogs. "I understand why they made the decision, but that took away a lot of users I knew, and I almost left myself, but I have such a nostalgic feeling for this social media site that still feels different from the rest to me," said Sammii. Over email, McCracken described Tumblr as an "opaque" platform, which is partly by design: Users can be as pseudonymous as they choose, or have multiple blogs that aren't visibly tied to one identity. Or your favorite pop star Taylor Swift might reblog a funny video you made, adding her own caption in the process. "I really feel the love.". Most people have written off Tumblr, but there's still value that's harder quantify. This sense that Tumblr is a safe space for minorities isn't unique to Swift. "It still brings me joy to use for so many different reasons.". However, traffic to the blogging platform fell after it enacted a ban on adult content. You may have issues accessing it though — I got an error message when I tried to set up my trial because of the unusually "high amount of traffic" the site is getting. In light of the recent Yahoo-buys-Tumblr news, my overlords at TIME have asked me to put together a guide of sorts explaining what Tumblr is.A Tumblr for Dummies, if you will. In an interview, Melanie Kohnen, assistant professor of rhetoric and media studies at Lewis & Clark University, noted the importance of Tumblr in popularizing what are today internetwide modes of creativity, such gifsets and meme culture. Tumblr, one of the oldest and largest blogging platforms on the web, has announced it will ban adult content. Sammii, 24, from Australia, has been on Tumblr for 10 years -- almost since its inception -- and uses it mainly for posting personal photos, poetry and thoughts. You could find an audience for your art or writing, inspired perhaps by your favorite sci-fi franchise. The site was a library of fanfiction, a home to more memes and GIFs than any one person could ever look at, ... CEO of Tumblr's new owner Automattic, seems well aware of this. This "makes it much harder for families, employers, friends, and other institutional authorities to police them; as a result, many youth feel a greater sense of security and privacy on Tumblr than on other platforms," she wrote in her paper. Tumblr users are looking for a new home following upcoming changes to 18+ and adult content. "I've been here six years, and prior to that I was studying Tumblr in grad school and at my previous job, and every day I'm still surprised to find something where I'm just like, 'Whoa, someone thought of this, this is awesome.'" Greetings, old-timer. “That’s what I had to do!” Minaj said. (Tumblr did not respond to a request for comment.) To her, it "signifies a shift in our culture to get away from the internet a little bit -- it's kind of like reconnecting to nature." Pornhub wants to buy Tumblr and restore site to former porn-filled glory Tumblr owner Verizon seeks buyer months after banning adult content. While Swift's public support of the LGBTQ community appears to be new, the star has been embracing LGBTQ fans privately on Tumblr for years. Despite the decline, there's life in it yet, what with a current tally of 475 active million blogs, according to the platform's own stats. (Just look at 8chan and parts of Reddit.). Formerly of KnowYourMeme and sometimes referred to as the Meme Librarian, Brennan spends her time looking at the trends among fandoms, compiling lists of the top fandoms on Tumblr's Fandometrics page. Verizon took over Tumblr back in 2017 as part of its acquisition of Yahoo. Since Tumblr announced the ban on December 3, bloggers with NSFW content have been scrambling to move to other sites, build new sites, and/or archive blogs till … Since the debut of the TV show Good Omens in May of this year, it has consistently been the top fandom on Tumblr in every weekly Fandometrics report, according to Brennan. "It's a completely decentralised social network which combines the best bits of Twitter and Tumblr, but the technology is structured in a way whereby it can never be shut down," a post advocating the switch to Mastodon says. Creating a safe, inclusive place for people to connect is part of the platform's DNA -- a rarity at a time when most social networks offer more than their fair share of toxic comments and misinformation. Instead, users make room on their dashboards for "selfie nights," when fans from minority groups post pictures of themselves -- serving the dual purpose of increasing visibility and celebrating diversity. It features NSFW GIFs, videos, sexy black-and-white photos, and more tailored for women. In her paper Tumblr Youth Subcultures and Media Engagement, Allison McCracken, associate professor of American studies at DePaul University, noted that Tumblr's design facilitates a participatory culture that provides a "counterpublic space for marginalized millennial communities and progressives" to explore "fannish passions and creative production.". "You don't have to be the one version that you want to project," Brennan said. Tumblr Users Urge New Owner Yahoo To Keep The Site Weird When news of Yahoo's purchase of Tumblr first hit, Tumblr users took their reactions online. Account active Communities spring up around learning calculus or languages, but a common theme among different fandoms is educating one another about topics including homophobia, transphobia, racism, ableism and body positivity. On Monday, in perhaps the latest mark of its decline, the site was reportedly bought for … As social justice and allyship have become increasingly important on Tumblr, she said that she "felt a responsibility to educate myself and learn as much as I could to keep being a part of the community." Fortunately for Sammii, Tumblr's new owner, Automattic, which also owns Wordpress, appears to see and appreciate the value in the platform. The story was originally published at 5 a.m. PT. Lady Cheeky: This Tumblr favorite has over 175,000 followers for good reason. A big part of why Sammii (and others) wanted to leave was Tumblr's policy of banning "female-presenting nipples" (the phrase used by Tumblr) but still allow so-called male-presenting nipples. It allows her to be more playful, funny and open than she is when posting cross-platform content or in formal interviews. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. "[It] takes a second to find but once you find it, you're there forever.". Tumblr, the onetime darling of social media, sold for a whopping $1.1 billion in 2013. "There's something about Tumblr -- once you find your community, you get this feeling of being understood and seen, no matter what that is, whether it's a fandom or something sports related, or even social justice movements," said Brennan. But while Twitter is mainly a platform for short text blurbs and sharing links, Tumblr emphasizes blogging with a mix of images, videos, GIFs, and creative writing. Get it now on Libro.fm using the button below. Unfortunately, Pillowfort is in beta and costs a small fee to join, but you can try out the platform as a demo user on Pillowfort's website. Many Tumblr users said they planned to abandon the platform for alternative blogging websites that allow explicit content, some which can be found below. But being able to open the app up anywhere knowing that there was no risk of adult content popping up on her screen actually led her to stick with Tumblr, she added. Many former Tumblr users are looking for a new site to host their content and discussions. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. On certain evenings every month, the Taylor Swift fandom of Tumblr hits the pause button on its usual business of sharing quotes, memes, artistically edited photos and analyses of the songwriter's lyrics. The announcement, which arrived in early August after months of speculation, also came with the news that Tumblr's sale price was less than $3 million -- significantly less than the $1.1 billion that Yahoo (now a Verizon property) purchased it for in 2013. "The good news for everyone is that we're seeing a lot of REALLY TALENTED artists joining up and not everything they post is NSFW. she said. (Yumna participates in selfie nights for religious Swifties and Swifties of Color.). For many, Tumblr was seen as a safe space used for exploration and self-expression. You can also contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop. This is to its credit, but also hasn't helped when it comes to being taken seriously. Allison McCracken, associate professor, DePaul University. as well as other partner offers and accept our, real-life human genitals or female-presenting nipples." Pillowfort, which is kind of like LiveJournal meets Dreamwidth, wants to be that new … Free. Click on it … "That's primarily what I saw on Tumblr, in my curated bubble: women and LGBT creators exploring sexual concepts that they didn't feel comfortable sharing anywhere else.". And yet however much users want to get away from the internet, they come back to share what makes them happy on Tumblr. Reaction to Tumblr's announcement was swift and critical across social media. Tumblr's opacity even protects publicly identifiable users, giving them a modicum of privacy that other platforms fail to replicate. For Elizabeth, 25, from Austin, Texas, who identifies as sexually fluid but isn't out to her family and friends, Tumblr -- and the LGBTQ selfie night in particular -- has been a safe space for her to express her sexuality. Starting Dec. 17, "adult content will not allowed on Tumblr… Subscriber Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. But the policy change caused some users to abandon the site. Kenan Thompson will be racking up the air miles as he travels between his new NBC sitcom Kenan and Saturday Night Live. But on Tumblr, you might find friends who are the first you've had who understand your hidden disability and are willing to listen to how it affects your life. Stop reading me and click through to Tumblr, a free blogging site that makes it effortless not only to type in text, but to share photos, links, music and videos. The web turned 30 this year, and its creator, Tim Berners-Lee, has encouraged people to use the web as a force for creativity. Apple today launched a new Tumblr page highlighting the touchstones of pop culture across 2014. "It is an essential venue to share new ideas, cultures and experiences, helping millions create and build communities around their shared interests," Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg said of Tumblr in a statement after purchasing the company earlier this month. Do you work at TikTok? © 2021 CNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. Just as it's long been a place for subcultures to flourish, Tumblr is home to people who want to explore their identities or feel like they don't necessarily fit in elsewhere. But to really understand Tumblr's value, it's important to look beyond growth statistics. Welcome aboard!". Tumblr's NSFW ban comes at great cost to the community and little gain to the company's long-term prospects. Tumblr Alternatives. It's a reversal of the idea that anonymity on the internet is automatically a bad thing, having opened the door to trolls and the darkest aspects of the internet. The site will start processing your blog information (which will take forever, btw). ", e'd like to take a moment to reassure all y'all that we have your backs, To the newcomers: we're happy to have you join us. "To the newcomers: we're happy to have you join us. Here are some alternatives to Tumblr emerging in light of the ban on adult content: While the design of Newgrounds may be old-school (it's been around since 1999), the site prides itself on being wholly independent where it allows "everything for everyone. "There's also a really developed culture of commentary and tags," she said, explaining the unique way in which Tumblr users can write full sentences in tags to augment posts or reblogs.

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