‘Like KFC Banning Chicken:’ Internet Reacts to Tumblr Porn Ban

The majority of users on the Internet were surprised to read that Tumblr had decided to ban “adult content” on its platform this week, and reacted accordingly. Here were some of the highlights.

Most reactions referenced the fact that Tumblr was the only prominent social network left which allowed hardcore pornography, with one study claiming nearly 50 percent of users came across porn on the platform while browsing.

Adult content is banned from Facebook, while Twitter “prohibits the promotion of adult sexual content globally,” including pornography and nudity.

Tumblr banning porn is like KFC banning chicken.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) December 3, 2018

Tumblr showing off all their content after they take away the porns. pic.twitter.com/aYFjKmgfMQ

— omri (@Omri_Rawrlan) December 4, 2018

Tumblr after they ban porn: pic.twitter.com/mC7VYKqcbA

— Gav (@miracleofsound) December 3, 2018

"Tumblr is a shithole but at least there's porn on it" was the unofficial slogan for Tumblr apologists. I guess having a redeeming quality went against the mission statement of the website.

— Lyle Rath (@LyleRath) December 3, 2018

tumblr without porn gifs is just going to be uncredited aesthetic blogs and archives of contextless, indecipherable teen arguments

— merritt k (@merrittk) December 3, 2018

hmm but if tumblr bans porn, all the porn-seekers are gonna migrate to the chans and get radicalized, thus tipping the balance of power in favor of the pepes come 2020

— christmas cheer liz bruenig (@ebruenig) December 4, 2018

When Tumblr gets rid of porn, I'm literally never going to have a reason to use Tumblr anymore. lol.

— (@kat_blaque) December 4, 2018

Tumblr banning porn, leaving approximately three accounts still active.

— Jared Holt (@jaredlholt) December 3, 2018

Tumblr without any porn is like Tom Atkins without a mustache.

It just doesn't work. pic.twitter.com/mow7oItu76

— John Squires (@FreddyInSpace) December 3, 2018

tumblr can take away porn but it can never take away the memories i’ll have of scrolling through my dashboard at work, praying unsuccessfully to avoid the appearance of a rogue gaping asshole

— Matt Bellassai (@MattBellassai) December 3, 2018

Lmao without porn on it Tumblr is just gonna be full of bad fan art and 14 year old queers denouncing each other as transmedicalist truscum

— shon faye. (@shonfaye) December 3, 2018

There’s stuff on Tumblr that isn’t porn?

— Lesley Carhart (@hacks4pancakes) December 3, 2018

Re: Tumblr, can you imagine being so bad at content moderation that literal child porn winds up on your platform and your response is, “Let’s ban nipples!”

— Cora Harrington (@lingerie_addict) December 3, 2018

In a blog post, Monday, Tumblr CEO Jeff D’Onofrio claimed the ban was to make “more people feel comfortable expressing themselves.”

D’Onofrio also cited recent controversy surrounding “child sexual exploitation” found on the platform, however, which led to Tumblr being kicked off of Apple’s App Store.

“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,” the CEO proclaimed. “Bottom line: There are no shortage of sites on the internet that feature adult content… We will leave it to them and focus our efforts on creating the most welcoming environment possible for our community.”

The ban on adult content will start December 17, and includes “photos, videos, or GIFs that show real-life human genitals or female-presenting nipples, and any content—including photos, videos, GIFs and illustrations—that depicts sex acts.”

Content excluded from the ban includes “exposed female-presenting nipples in connection with breastfeeding, birth or after-birth moments, and health-related situations, such as post-mastectomy or gender confirmation surgery,” as well as “nudity related to political or newsworthy speech, and nudity found in art, such as sculptures and illustrations.”