Uber-popular blogging platform Tumblr announced on Thursday that it would remove “self-harm” promoting websites by targeting pro-anorexia blogs and other self-harm accounts that have popped up on the popular blog system.
The company’s new policy will not allow any blogging sites to promote self injury which range from anorexia and bulimia blogs to cutting and other acts of self-harm.
In the company’s official Tumblr post they clearly state that the new policy ”is intended to reach only those blogs that cross the line into active promotion or glorification.” That means you can still joke about starving yourself but the moment you talk about ways to create that starvation you’ll be in trouble.
Furthering its reach Tumblr will begin shows PSAs whenever searchers on their platform look for self-harm terms such as ”thinspiration,” “proana,” and “purging.” Those PSAs will feature contact information for groups that can help people looking for assistance with their self-harm issues.
The New York Times Daily Intel blog points out that self-harm seeking users will likel flock to Pinterest which has sprouted up “a certain flowering of ‘thinspo’ boards.”
Do you think Tumblr has went to far in removing self-harm blogs or was this an example of responsible censorship on behalf of the company?
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The inevitable result of Tumblr’s management deciding to ban a certain type of blog is the subsequent pressure that will be brought upon them to ban other types of blogs.
It’s for this reason that we call this a “slippery slope.” One cannot stop oneself after one has started.
Good luck with all that…