Tumblr is joining the ranks of PayPal, Patreon, and other popular websites by cracking down on NSFW posts. Unlike some of those websites, though, Tumblr isn't leaving any loopholes for its users to take advantage of.
All images, videos, and posts containing anything from explicit sexual content to mere nudity will be off limits beginning on December 17. Tumblr says there may be a few exceptions to the latter (educational, newsworthy, or political nudity are "fine"), but for the most part, adult content is being given the boot.
Existing content that falls under the umbrella of Tumblr's upcoming rules will be set to private, according to The Verge, which means it will not be shareable with others on the platform.
Whether or not this is a good decision on Tumblr's part remains to be seen, but it's certainly a surprising one. Though Tumblr's community is large and remarkably varied, it's no secret that adult creators – whether they produce pornographic art, videos, games, or something else – have always represented a sizable portion of that user base, for better or worse.
Regardless, Tumblr is convinced it's making the right call, and it explained its decision as follows:
It is our continued, humble aspiration that Tumblr be a safe place for creative expression, self-discovery, and a deep sense of community. 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.