Social Blog Platform Tumblr Bans Pro-Eating Disorder Blogs

The social blog platform Tumblr has announced that it plans to ban blogs that promote self-harm and glorify eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.

Up until now Tumblr has provided a venue for these pro-anorexia eating disorder sites that provide instructions, encouragement, and/or graphic photographs devoted to dangerous weight loss practices and unhealthy behaviors.

Tumblr has been an especially popular means for hosting pro-eating disorder blogs for a number of reasons. The social blog platform offers easy photo sharing as well as a reblog feature, and provides users with easy accessibility to similar pro-eating disorder sites.

Initially, the staff at Tumblr considered placing a warning message on blogs that promote self-harm or glorify eating disorders. Another suggestion involved providing links for users to connect to help lines for individuals suffering from eating disorders.

In the end, it was decided that the best way to manage the problem, would involve banning the offending and damaging blogs. The staff have been quick to point out that they are not interested in removing content that is written from a humorous perspective, and that every effort will be made to differentiate between material presented “in jest” and blogs that promote self-harm.

The policy change at Tumblr is due to take effect next week, although there will be a “grace period” for bloggers to edit the content of their sites. Public service announcement style warnings will also be posted when users attempt to search for pro-eating disorder sites by using certain tags.

There is some concern that bloggers will simply switch to another platform in order to promote pro-anorexia material. Others worry that policing the content on Tumblr may result in the wrong blogs being banned. Overall, most people consider that the decision to ban blogs that promote eating disorders and self-harm is the responsible thing to do.

Source: Time News Feed