Well yes, now you can take your nude photos and post them on Tumblr.
Let’s be clear, “naked” does not mean that sexually explicit content is accepted from today. The distinction, as explained by the new community guidelines, is very clear, designed to mainly allow the sharing of artistic images and to encourage the free expression of users.
Nude photos on Tumblr: the new guidelines
In 2018 Tumblr, hitherto considered an extremely free platform, decided to ban adult content.
Not exactly a spontaneous choice. Shortly before, the app had been deleted from the App Store precisely because of the sexually explicit images that populated the platform. Verizon, owner of the platform at the time, therefore had no choice but to solve the problem at the root, by imposing a very stringent policy and not particularly appreciated by users. Just to give you a yardstick: in the first months of 2019 Tumblr lost 437 million total visits, attributed precisely to the absence of the content just banned.
In August 2019 Verizon decided to ditch Tumblr: the platform was sold to Automattic, the company that manages WordPress, for 3 million dollars.
All this brings us to the present, with Matt MullenwegCEO of Automattic, who said in September of want to review the content policy, anticipating, however, that a total change of course would not be possible. The motivations? Simple: the AppStore and payment processors.
And here we are, after a few weeks, with renewed guidelines:
“Now on Tumblr, we welcome a wide range of expression, creativity and art, including content depicting the human form (yes, that includes the nude). So, even if your creations contain nudity, elements for a mature public or sexual themes, you can share them on Tumblr using the appropriate label – the official post mentions – Explicit sexuality, on the other hand, remains off-limits on Tumblr ”.
Specifically, texts, images and videos that contain nudity, offensive language, sexual themes or adult content are now publishable on the platform while sexually explicit acts remain prohibited, except for “historically significant art that can also be found in museums and depicts sexual acts”.
There remains – rightly, we would add – the ban for the promotion of erotic services, escorts and for content that promotes pedophilia, including sexually suggestive images containing children.
Do you prefer not to see nude photos and videos? No problem. The dashboard allows you to filter properly labeled content.
What do you think of this novelty? Will you return to Tumblr taking advantage of the new guidelines?