Now Tumblr is banning ‘adult content’ from its platform

After Starbucks, now microblogging site Tumblr is banning adult content from all its platforms.

From December 17, Tumblr will be banning “adult content” from its site and encouraging users to flag that content for removal. Existing adult content will be set to a “private mode” viewable only to the original poster.

The development comes just weeks after Apple removed the Tumblr app from its app store over a failure of its automated systems for detecting and removing child porn.

Jeff D’Onofrio, who became Tumblr’s chief executive in January after the departure of its founder David Karp, said the move would help Tumblr remain a “safe place for creative expression” and “self-discovery”.

“We recognise Tumblr is a place to speak freely about topics like art, sex positivity, your relationships, your sexuality, and your personal journey,” D’Onofrio said in a company blog post.

“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.

“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.”