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

[alatefeline]

I think all the time I've spent reading on Tumblr without getting an account may be drawing to a close, and that sucks, because the maybe half-dozen author blogs I check regularly may be individuals, but they needed that ecosystem of interaction to be awesome. I think breaking features that enable authentic community-formation is a bonus, not a drawback, for the people running for-profit social media these days. I think I really hope a few specific people move to Dreamwidth. I think I was right to hesitate to get an account in the first place; I was going to get around to it and then the porn bans happened. I think lurking used to be a decent way to get to know an online space, and now the spaces themselves are disintegrating.

I think we're all walking along a crumbling cliff hearing screams from the people scrabbling at handholds halfway down into the abyss while desperately hoping our personal pitons and ropes hold. And it's foggy.

I think it's not the worst idea to respond to problems by making connections and inviting trust. Good for you.