BBC: Tumblr’s porn ban abandons the marginalised

Tumblr has a major porn problem – bots, spam and, most seriously, images of child abuse.

But for those that use its site legally, the decision to ban adult content across its entire network is seen as a reluctance to tackle the issues properly.

Tumblr has decided to give up, rather than do as other sites have done and invest in measures to handle illegal content, while allowing sexual expression.

“There are no shortage of sites on the internet that feature adult content,” said Jeff D’Onofrio, the site’s chief executive, in explaining the decision.

He’s right, of course. There’s a lot of porn out there. But Tumblr has long offered something different, and important.

Founded 11 years ago, Tumblr is a platform where users can publish text, images and videos quickly, as well as share and comment on other submissions. The site’s popularity peaked in 2014. Yet as its use dwindled, its reputation as an alternative corner of the internet grew, not least as a place to find unique adult material.

Unlike typical pornography sites, which overwhelmingly cater to men, and serve an often narrow definition of what is attractive, Tumblr has been a home for something else – content tailored at vibrant LGBT communities, or for those with tastes you might not necessarily share with all your friends.

If society deems it acceptable for any porn to be on the internet, then that acceptance must surely be inclusive. Unlike most of those other sites Mr D’Onofrio speaks of, Tumblr has been a space where different body types are sexually celebrated, not degraded.

In 2015, Cosmopolitan described Tumblr as a place where women “can explore their sexuality with the support of women without judgement or fear”.

It argued that Tumblr’s design seemed to cater to different physical need: offering a slow, building stream of visual and emotional content – rather than the instant video gratification of sites designed with hurried male audiences in mind, fast-forward button and all.

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