Skip to main content

Tumblr bans nudity to create ‘a safe place for creative expression’

In a change the micro-blogging platform says is designed to help more creators feel comfortable expressing themselves, Tumblr will soon ban nudity. Beginning on December 17, Tumblr will begin banning content that violates new community guidelines, and will also begin using artificially intelligent filters and a team of staff members to prevent the content from appearing on the platform.

The adult content ban is for photos, videos, and GIFs “that show real-life human genitals or female-presenting nipples” along with any visual content “that depicts sex acts.” The ban is only for visual media — written content that falls under categories for erotica will still be permitted, the new community guidelines state. The platform also has a few exceptions to the new ban on nudity in images, allowing images that depict breastfeeding, and also permitting nudity in sculptures and other fine art, for example.

Recommended Videos

The change comes shortly after the Tumblr app was removed from the App Store due to reported child pornography — but to be clear, Tumblr CEO Jeff D’Onofrio says the platform has always had a zero-tolerance policy for content harmful to minors. He says the platform is continuing to invest in enforcing that policy, including increasing machine learning algorithms, expanding human moderators, and expanding user tools for reporting abuse.

Like the slip that ended up getting the app temporarily removed from the App Store, D’Onofrio says there will be mistakes that the automated system doesn’t catch and the process won’t happen overnight as the platform moves to eliminate adult content.

“It is our continued, humble aspiration that Tumblr be a safe place for creative expression, self-discovery, and a deep sense of community,” he wrote in a blog post. “As Tumblr continues to grow and evolve, and our understanding of our impact on our world becomes clearer, we have a responsibility to consider that impact across different age groups, demographics, cultures, and mindsets. We spent considerable time weighing the pros and cons of expression in the community that includes adult content. In doing so, it became clear that without this content we have the opportunity to create a place where more people feel comfortable expressing themselves.”

Content flagged under the new guidelines will not be deleted, but the privacy settings will be altered so that the content can only be viewed by the original creator. Users who feel the content doesn’t fall under the new restrictions can appeal the decision inside the Android app or from the web platform. 

Written sexual content, Tumblr says, which doesn’t violate the updated guidelines, will still have filters that do not allow users under age 18 to view the content. D’Onofrio says the new guidelines are designed to create a balance that still allows users to freely discuss topics “like art, sex positivity, your relationships, your sexuality, and your personal journey.”

“There are no shortage of sites on the internet that feature adult content,” D’Onofrio wrote. “We will leave it to them and focus our efforts on creating the most welcoming environment possible for our community.”

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
How to undo reposts on TikTok (and why you should)
Undo Repost button on the TIkTok app.

TikTok, like many other social media apps, including Threads, allows its users to repost the content they enjoy to share it with their followers. However, unlike apps such as X, formerly Twitter, which provide clear instructions on how to undo a repost and indicate when it has been successfully undone, TikTok’s process is not as straightforward.

Read more
Instagram shows love to smaller accounts that post original content
Notifications related to Instagram's new algorithm to surface content linked to smaller accounts.

Instagram is starting to show some love to smaller accounts that post original content. The Meta-owned media-sharing platform announced in a blog post on Tuesday that it’s making a number of changes to give more prominence to material posted by “smaller, original content creators” over those with large followings and aggregators of reposted content, which up until now have received greater exposure in recommendations.

The move to give those with smaller followings more reach on Instagram involves making four changes to the current way of doing things, the company said.

Read more
How to deactivate your Instagram account (or delete it)
A person holding a phone with the Instagram app open on it.

Oh, social media. Sometimes it’s just too much, folks. If you’re finding yourself in a position where shutting down your Instagram account for a period of time sounds good, Meta’s powers that be have made it pretty simple to deactivate your Instagram account. It’s also quite easy to completely delete your Instagram, although we wouldn’t recommend this latter option if you plan on returning to the platform at a later date.

Read more