In a mass online protest following the Tumblr porn ban, huge numbers of the site’s users took part in the #logoffprotest, hoping their actions would reverse the company’s position.

Tumblr had previously announced that the site would ban all adult content with their Help Centre page clarifiying that pornographic content would be prohibited from December 17. “Adult content primarily 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 depict sex acts.”

Protestors have issue with the fact that while the Tumblr porn ban removes what they consider NSFW content, the site had done nothing to address far more disturbing content such as “a pedophile ring, rampant cyberbullying, Nazis promoting hate speech, and bots that try to hijack people’s accounts.”

The real @tumblr issues: a pedophile ring, rampant cyberbullying, Nazis promoting hate speech, and bots that try to hijack people's accounts — all left unchecked. The NSFW artist-made content, on the other hand, is clearly tagged & easily avoided. #logoff2018 #logoffprotest

— Melissa Treglia (@melissatreglia) December 17, 2018

You know what day it is? It's the day @tumblr updates their policies to silence artists, LGBT+ people and everyone trying to make their comfortable little corner in the internet. Meanwhile the problem they are trying to solve is not going anywhere. #logoff2018 #logoffprotest

— BeastBorealis (@BeastBorealis) December 17, 2018

LGBT+ people were a large part of the protest, with some users complaining that the ban had in effect “neutered a dynamic + inclusive social media platform which has been a safe + educational space for LGBTQIA+ youth + many others”.

Another mentioned the updated policies would only serve “to silence artists, LGBT+ people and everyone trying to make their comfortable little corner in the internet”.

Logged out of @tumblr until Tues am PST in solidarity with #logoff2018 #logoffprotest. By banishing explicit visual content @verizon + @jeffdonof have neutered a dynamic + inclusive social media platform which has been a safe + educational space for LGBTQIA+ youth + many others.

— foxsoulcourt (@foxsoulcourt) December 17, 2018

However, Tumblr was adamant that “LGBTQ+ conversations, exploration of sexuality and gender, efforts to document the lives and challenges of those in the sex worker industry, and posts with pictures, videos, and GIFs of gender-confirmation surgery are all examples of content that is not only permitted on Tumblr but actively encouraged.”

This was followed by “Although, photorealistic imagery or photography – images, videos, or GIFs – with real humans that include exposed genitals or female-presenting (yeah, we know you hate this term) nipples or depict sex acts is not allowed per our guidelines.”

The statement didn’t seem to hold much sway with many users.

https://twitter.com/HeyNadineShay/status/1074724520064360450

Those who took part in the #logoffprotest have threatened further action including a mass deletion of accounts.