Tumblr accused of censoring shenanigans as users find loop holes
NOTE: For all latest, breaking news related to Tumblr adult content ban as well as its alternatives, head here.
A lot is currently going on over at Tumblr. Of course, that’s not completely unexpected, as the company announced earlier this month that they’ll try to make any and everything NSFW/adult/explicit private (save for some exceptions).
But what’s concerning is that users are crying foul play by Tumblr. For example, this Tumblr user is alleging the company is shadow banning visual artists, even if they have SFW material on their blogs.
The proof? Until some time ago, typing “Johnlock” in the dashboard search bar, I had among the popular results, tons of fanarts from the most famous artists. The fanarts were the most immediate and numerous result of the research, I’m sure you remember this.
Now it has completely changed. These are the search results [pics below] on “Johnlock” search from today. There are almost exclusively text posts, chats, and memes. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against memes or text posts, they are great. The problem is that fanarts, manips, photosets, gifset, and even most of the actors’ photos have disappeared from the research.
They further said:
Is it strange? Not a result from Anotherwellkeptsecret, Reapersun, Bluebellofbakerstreet? How is it possible? Because Tumblr doesn’t want fandom material on its site anymore, and it doesn’t give a toss if it’s SFW or not. You’re a fandom artist? You are punished by becoming invisible
How are users supposed to find new artists to follow, if they’re shadow banned?
How are artists supposed to make themselves known and show their creations, if they can’t be seen?
Hundreds of other Tumblr users either liked or reblogged this post, which indicates all this may be correct. One user even left a comment confirming this development through their own test:
Well, shit! I used “Mystrade” and I got text posts. No fan art to speak of. Folks we know there’s fan art
Ever since Tumblr announced the ban, we have been hearing a lot about Tumblr’s censoring bots flagging non-explicit content. Here’s an example:
THIS got flagged of all things? guess tumblr doesnt like funny drawings pic.twitter.com/9qEWJ11Gpg
— ianjq (@ianjq) December 4, 2018
Even prior to the announcement, there were reports of blogs (even SFW ones) being deleted.
While Tumblr along with its censoring bots, as users like to say, “are on a rampage,” porn bots are still enjoying their time on the platform. A lot of users have recently reported that their blogs are being followed by new porn bots. Take a look:
I had 2 spam porn bots following me in less than a day! #tumblrsidead but not the bots apparently! @tumblr you’re a joke
— Joicchi🐰 (@_Joicchi) December 12, 2018
every since tumblr announced it was nukin nsfw content ive had more porn bots follow me than i had in the entire time on tumblr its like they are following folk out of primal fear
— bald izzy 🍓 (@zhaiires) December 12, 2018
tumblr banner nsfw content so now porn bots are hacking everyone :~) what a great solution
— marilyn (@legitmarilyn) December 11, 2018
Love that I'm still getting followed by porn bots on tumblr in the midst of the pornpocalypse.
— [email protected] (@SavrinDrake) December 12, 2018
Reportedly, users as well as bots have been taking advantage of a loop hole where-in if a post is tagged as SFW, Tumblr’s censoring bots do not flag it.
YOU CAN GET AROUND TUMBLR'S ALGORITHM SIMPLY BY TAGGING YOUR POST # SFW
THE BOTS ARE LITTERALLY FLOODING TUMBLR AGAIN
TUMBLR HAD ONE JOB AND THEY COMPLETLY FUCKED IT UP
IM FUCKING WHEEZING
— Official Ba'al Buster (@TorchPerverse) December 10, 2018
this just in: porn bots on tumblr are evading being flagged/taken down by just straight up tagging their sexy posts as 'SFW' and it works
like, this is some Looney Tunes shit 2018 pic.twitter.com/JdnP8aoMcL— Girls and Gay (@InsomniaArrest) December 11, 2018
the best thing about tumblr’s new algorithm is if u tag sth #sfw it won’t get flagged, so porn bots are tagging their posts and not getting flagged
— neon gravestones✨💮🐬 (@catoleils) December 12, 2018
Ironically, bots and people can get around the tumblr flagging system simply by tagging their post “sfw” at the moment.
— Nado_Art (@art_nado) December 12, 2018
We’re not sure if this loop hole still exists or you can still exploit it. But this is not the only one that has come to light in recent times – users have also reportedly managed to fool Tumblr’s algorithm by transplanting an owls image on a pic that was marked as explicit by Tumblr’s censoring bots.
So here's something. Users are testing the limits of Tumblr's new algorithm that flags adult content (aka "censorbot"). This one found that a man's chest was flagged, but a man's chest next a 50% scale owl went unnoticed.
Things seem to be going greathttps://t.co/FU1MudA0K9 pic.twitter.com/Tmm0JyPWJC
— Chappell Ellison ٩( ᐛ )و✎ (@ChappellTracker) December 7, 2018
Meanwhile, users are leaving Tumblr in droves, and heading to one of the many alternatives that are currently out there. Here’s the list we’ve compiled for you.
Tumblralt, for example, is a new and upcoming Tumblr replacement that has been built by engineers from within the Tumblr community. Then there’s another one, Pillowfort, which has already received quite a lot of media mileage. Oh, and yes, there’s also a secretive platform, details related to which leaked out recently.
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