Tumblr... grr.

[gremdark]

For those who aren't active on Tumblr right now, a tl;dr. A new update to how notes on reblogs work, which has so far rolled out on desktop and to some mobile users, is breaking the way most people use Tumblr. Each reblog-with-text now has its own likes, comments, and notes section. This means that not all interactions on posts are visible to the OP. Artists are in an uproar, but this also breaks aspects of the block function and removes the ability to turn off reblogs on posts that have been reblogged with text.

With that in mind, I've tentatively offered to give mutuals and longtime followers of my personal tumblr access to this account if they DM me. I'm nervous about that, because I like keeping my online identities pretty siloed. I'd previously only connected this account to my fandom identity. I have a good group of followers over there, though, and I'd be sad to lose them. 

I don't think this is The Big One where everyone flees the Tumblr site like rats from a sinking ship, but it does feel as big as the 2018 porn ban, with the added uncertainty that these changes rolled out the day they were announced. The Changes blog on Tumblr has blithely said that they can see the userbase has strong feelings, which they claim they'll monitor over the "next weeks" of this rollout. I'm certainly concerned and making backup plans.

Those of you who use Tumblr, what do you think of all this? What are you planning?

Comments

[nonymos]

it looks bad, ngl! i tentatively hope the update will be - well, maybe not rolled back, but a simple way to fix it would be to bring back the total notes count on top of the fragmented notes count. seeing which reblog of a post got more traction isn't UNinteresting, yknow? it's the "hiding notes from the OP and the rebloggers" thing that really feels site-breaking to me. it certainly was enough to send me over here with more determination than the last time i claimed i'd do so, in 2018.

anyway, thanks for the welcome, i'm really determined to build something here this time even if (i hope) tumblr becomes functional again!