Tumblr gets bold on Twitter replying to new policy on social media competitors

The entity that runs the Twitter account for the once-popular social sharing platform Tumblr decided to poke some fun at new Twitter owner Elon Musk over a new policy this weekend.

Twitter announced in a series of tweets that it will ban users from promoting other social media platforms, with exceptions.

Twitter has deleted posts under a new policy that does not allow the “free promotion of certain social media platforms.”

“We will remove accounts created solely for the purpose of promoting other social platforms and content that contains links or usernames for the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr and Post,” the policy states.

On Sunday, the Tumblr account responded on Twitter simply with “Tumblr.”

The policy, which now appears to have been deleted Twitter’s website, said“we will remove accounts created solely for the purpose of promoting other social platforms and content that contains links or usernames for the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr and Post.”

Twitter said, “We still allow cross-posting of content from any social media platform. Also, posting links or usernames to social media platforms not listed above does not violate this policy.”

Tumblr doesn’t seem to be considered in the policy.

Other users jumped on the bandwagon with Tumblr, with one user writing a cheeky reply that said: “Congrats you didn’t qualify as social media! We did it guys.”

If a user violates the policy, Twitter says it will remove the tweet and may decide to temporarily close an account. If the violation happens again, the account may be banned from the platform.

Tumblr’s fall, and the issue of explicit content

In 2013, Tumblr was sold to Yahoo for $1.1 billion under then-Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, who vowed “not to screw it up.” Tumblr has never managed to turn a significant profit.

Apple later removed Tumblr from its App Store due to alleged child pornography on its site.

Tumblr has had problems with advertising, as CNBC reported, with brands unwilling to invest large sums of money on a platform with content that wasn’t friendly to big brands.

Leadership with Tumblr and Verizon then banned all explicit content from the platform.

By 2018, the number of posts on the platform had dropped by more than 50%.

From October 2022, Twitter‘s “Sensitive Media Policy” states that a user “may not post media that is excessively gory or share violent or adult content within live video or in profile header, list banner images, or community cover photos. Media depicting sexual violence and/or assault is also not allowed.”