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Tumblr has been known to struggle with an overwhelming amount of content which promotes or glorifies many forms of self-harm including — though unfortunately not limited to — eating disorders, self-mutilation and even suicide. Now the micro-blogging service's staff has made the decision to fight this phenomenon by officially prohibiting blogs "that actively promote self-harm."
An announcement on the official Tumblr staff blog explains that the decision to revise the service's content policy is not being taken lightly as its staff is "deeply committed to supporting and defending [its] users’ freedom of speech." But as a company, those folks have decided that certain and specific types of content — including spam and identity theft — "aren't welcome on Tumblr."
While Tumblr's staff is asking for input from its community regarding its policy change, the language of the relevant content policy addition appears to already be very clear. A distinction is made between content which actively promotes or glorifies self-harm and something such as an off-hand declaration that someone feels so embarrassed she could just die or similar:
Don’t post content that actively promotes or glorifies self-injury or self-harm. This includes content that urges or encourages readers to cut or mutilate themselves; embrace anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders; or commit suicide rather than, e.g., seek counseling or treatment for depression or other disorders. Online dialogue about these acts and conditions is incredibly important; this prohibition is intended to reach only those blogs that cross the line into active promotion or glorification. For example, joking that you need to starve yourself after Thanksgiving or that you wanted to kill yourself after a humiliating date is fine, but recommending techniques for self-starvation or self-mutilation is not.
In addition to implementing this new policy next week — after a grace period which allows affected blogs to conform to the changes — Tumblr will also begin showing "public service announcements" whenever a user searches for keywords which are frequently associated with self-harm-promoting blogs. Such a message may look like this:
Eating disorders can cause serious health problems, and at their most severe can even be life-threatening. Please contact the [resource organization] at [helpline number] or [website].
Tumblr isn't the only service which is making changes to its policies in order to suppress content deemed inappropriate. Popular link-sharing website Reddit has recently banned all forums — dubbed "subreddits" — which focused on the "sexualization of children."
Like Tumblr's staff, Reddit's moderators and administrators appeared to struggle with the decision to enact this content policy. As explained in the post which announced the change, the site's staff is "adamant about not limiting the ability to use the Reddit platform even when [it does] not [itself] agree with or condone a specific use."
But as msnbc.com's own Helen Popkin points out, Reddit — like Tumblr — is a private business and as such it is "under no burden to provide a venue for free speech" or facilitate certain types of content.
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Want more tech news, silly puns, or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.
Leave a Comment:
While they're banning self harm, Islam should be included, as well as being Democrat.
Don't forget about being a right wing, bible thumping, gun toting, Fox News watching Republican zombie.
Why am I not surprised that the first comment in an article about self-harm would be politicized?
What I'm wondering is when people will finally realize it is just two heads on the same monster. A lot of the two-party divisiveness is a fabrication, an act to distract people from the real issues. At the end of the day they're really not much different. Most of the elected officials are co-opted and owned by special interests and corporations. Their life experience is not the same as the average American. They vote their own pay and working conditions, don't participate in social security and supplemental planning for retirement, don't use medicare and buy health insurance, get to legally do insider trading, etc.
Meanwhile, back at Tumblr...
I agree wholeheartedly.
your an idiot!
Call me hypocritical but that first comment isnt even worth replying to
You political people just baffle me. those that are SO loyal to their party, be it the Left or the Right, are only seeing half of the big picture. Stop thinking that everything the other side does or says is complete and utter nonsense. Those that stick to being so loyal to your party are looking more and more foolish every day.
Almost no positions are now not covered by social security. Congress has access to the Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan, as do their staffs, as do all full-time "permanent" Federal Employees, and additionally has access to the military system, such as at Walter Reed-Bethesda. It's good, but not exclusive to them, the way that legally trading on "inside" knowledge has been. Are many of the tools of special interests? Sure. Their justification is the fortune in fundraising that they have to do to remain politcally viable. But how true is this? Due to the "incumbent protection" methods used to redraw congressional districts decenially, most of them are in districts drawn to benefit them and their parties and aren't even competitive.
Glad to see that some people get what "free speech" means. It means that you can't be prosecuted for speaking your mind, not that you are somehow owed a forum for it (even Newsvine). If you were owed the forum and to be provided with it, then likewise your right to bear arms would mean that you were entitled to receive a firearm and ammunition.
dameholly you sir,woman or whatever are a freakin douchebag
Being a democrat doesn't promote self harm. It promotes societal harm. Look at the "most dangerous city" lists in the USA and you'll find democratic party leadership from top to bottom in those cities going back 40, 50 years...
Being dependent on a government that is increasingly sinking in debt does not bode well for one's future.
fox news usually tells the truth, unlike the socialist mainstream media. what's wrong with that
backtobasics , Very well said.
Ya, he's a regular Shakespeer
Why. Is Tumblr. On MSN. EURGH.
Why not?
Who? Thanks MSN for giving the whack jobs out there another source for venting their mental masturbation!
Including Retired SFC!
Uh, isn't that what everyone is doing here?
The rich get rich by working hard and ,or smart investing, the poor get poor sitting back complaining how poor they are and want hands finding ways to defraud the hard working people which is was causes the average tax payer to take home less pay.
John 3:16, some rich people got that way by working hard, definitely not the majority. as far as smart investing goes...smart? maybe. ethical? hardly. the rich are getting richer because they have munipulated and now control our government with their money. they are the ones who have "defrauded" the hard working people of this country. most poor people don't sit back and complain about how poor they are. they work their @$$ off and complain about how poor they are. and dont' say go back to school and do this or that. that's a joke nowadays and you know it. some degrees cost far more than a home and even when you graduate with that degree there's no job so how does that help? Poor people are not trying to defraud the hard working people...they are the hard working people. they do however want a change in the way things are being done because they are not being done properly. this is not a democracy if you can buy votes.
I will point out that the article above had nothing to do with the subject of the rich and the poor and paying taxes. It had to do with people wanting to harm themselves and promoting self harm to others. It is kind of interesting however going back to the subject the article is about, "self harm", I remember billboards and advertisments all over the place a few years ago saying how people who feel depressed might harm themselves, so they should speak up so they can get help. I understand that they are saying not to tell others to harm themselves, but are they saying the people that used to be told to speak up if they feel like harming themselves should no longer do so? I know for a fact that if a person goes to a psyciatric ward in my home state and says they feel like hurting themselves they will be taken into custody and committed to the inpatient ward until they can prove they are not going to hurt themselves, so often they regret telling the Psyciatric ward how they felt, because they are cut off from all their responsibilities, such as paying bills, work, family, etc. This is a subject that affects millions of people, because this is a very harsh world and many people have genetic make ups that affect their ability to handle constant hardship, whereas others handle the most difficult things and keep going because they are fortunate enough to have the genetic makeup to do so. There are many other factors also that can contribute to the ability to cope or not being able to cope, such as having family that loves you or being isolated and alone.
The rich are rich because they were born rich. The poor are poor because they were born poor. The middle class are middle class because they were born middle class. The working class. . . well I'm sure you get the gist by now. The rate of upward class mobility in this country is the highest in the world, at about 10% (that's one class - ie middle to upper middle, poor to working class, etc). Downward mobility is almost non existent. So nine out of ten people die where they were born. Almost no one "earns" their class status. So sorry John, you have it completely wrong, but I'm sure your myth based ideology helps you feel better about yourself.
What I don't understand is y'alls rant on politics, Tumbler is trying to do an awesome thing, something Facebook and Twitter should gladly try, but y'all have to turn it into a bunch of political bs.. granted politics is bs and both democrats and republicans don't do much, but instead of whining like children go to college, become a politician and change the government.. or better yet move countries.. if your gonna whine about it all.. shut up and don't post, we people who can see the actual decency of what Tumber is trying to do don't wanna hear your crap
The only person I know who uses tumblr all the time is someone who weighs 100 pounds and is trying to "get into shape." It's a thinly veiled eating disorder--people who want to get in shape don't necessarily write a blog about their options to work out to work off the 50 cals of applesauce they just ate. Anyways, good luck policing that tumblr.
I use tumblr...I don't have much to do at work, and it keeps me entertained. It's not all about things like this. Mostly it's funny pictures and such. Granted there are pictures of porn, and really thin really pretty girls. You just need to find the right people to "follow". My friend introduced it to me. A girl I went to high school with posts a lot of things about self-harm and depression...a lot of people do. And a lot of people reach out to them. There are so many posts saying you SHOULDN'T self harm, or have an eating disorder. Posts that say "Smile, it gets better". Tumblr actually helps a lot of people by posting these sorts of messages. It's all about who you "follow". There are also many posts that are about anti-bullying. :)
Funny how a sites decission to restrict certain content has turned into a debate on political ideology. WTF??????
I hope they have very clearly defined terms for their restrictions. These aree very serious issues and people strugling with them need a forum to discuss their problems. They may not have anyone in their life that they feel they can go to to talk about their issues. If they are promoting self harm in any way then yes they should be stopped. but if they are reaching out for help they should not be turned away or censored. Where do you draw the line between when someone is promoting self abuse or when they are reaching out? It's not cut and dried, It is, rather a slippery slope.
Ever think that sites such as Tumblr are actually PREVENTING those that need psychological/medical help from getting what they need?
Y'know, despite the popular belief for the past 20 years or so, just TALKING about something isn't enough - and blogging about it is even more useless.
I, for one, am very glad to see these 'self help' sites actively directing those that feel they need help to more psychologically and medically sound avenues...instead of pretending that its anything other than what it really is - a chat room for people who want to vent and/or show off about something they claim is an issue in their lives.
while they are at it catholocism should also be banned as self harming
Word.
It's about time someone somewhere is giving people boundaries. It seems anybody can say anything on the Internet. I do believe in freedom of speech but get tired of reading self-serving idiots bash everything and anything just because they can, and on articles i don't even think they read. And leave your political and religious rants out if it has nothing to do with the article.
Bite me!
Wow, what a timely, insightful, ingenious reply!
Let tumblr get a threat from some muslims over something posted that they don't approve of and watch timblr cave in.
And, DanielS89, until sharia takes over, the Constitution still permits us to speak our minds even if you think it is crap!
*I'm angry and I want a chance to mention my political affiliation!*
This is Obama and/or Bush's fault!!
Good job tumblr...way to take a stand :)
so i guess this means www.non-self-harmersanonymous.com coming soon to an internet near you
First comment, of course, has to be against democrats. Unless you are ultra rich (and the probability of that seems low), I don't see how any person in his/her right mind can choose to be a Republican. Notice I said "right mind"; in my humble opinion, the overzealous religious contingency isn't playing with a full deck. Stop imposing your intolerance and anti-choice views on at least half of the population who really don't want to be subjected to your archaic beliefs.
sarahisarealdouche, and it's our choice to tote guns and thump our bibles. Feeling the need to "Occupy" something? Crawl back under Obama's desk. Lunch is ready.
right mind. ha ha. you say that as if you have any mind "left" We do not need marxist socialist agendas crammed down our throats either. Truth is both extremes are wrong, There is a happy medium, I hope we find it before we have destroyed ourselves with all of this petty bickering.
crazson roflmfao thanx I needed a good laugh and that's the best one I've had in a while
Pretty typical and ignorant statements from some closeted Republican homosexuals. Go play with each others' guns and tools....you real men. You douchebags need to get out and see more of the world. Bet you haven't been out of the country much.....Mexico and Canada don't really count.
sarahisadouche, WOW! That was the best you had? I'm shocked. Your creativity matches that of our President. Here's an idea, I'll spend a week in the French Riviera and you spend a week in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The weather is great this time of year and they'll welcome you with a rope I mean, "open arms".
Good for them! It's time someone showed an ounce of common sense. Now if they could just extend it to include commenters, such as #15. What does going to a financial website have to do with the topic at hand - this is nothing more then spam.
"Blogging" about one's problems is about as useful and productive as bull's tits.
Wonder what form of ignorance leads people to believe that a bunch of words on a page from anonymous, nameless people are useful, productive, and most of all, medically and psychologically sound advice?
Course, as someone said - 'you can't fix stupid'....
you stand as living proof of your own last statement
Turns out you can fix stupid, but the parts are expensive and always on back-order....the Obama Whitehouse I hear! Thanks Ron!
Sometimes, it helps to just let it all out. Say what's weighing you down. That in itself can help. Sometimes, people will reach out to someone who is clearly having a hard time. Also, there are countless posts that get reblogged all about positive things to help those in need. "Smile, it gets better" "You are beautiful" "Everytime you feel the need to pick up your razor, look in the mirror. Imagine what you would look like with scars covering your entire body...Put the razor down". Sometimes, all these people need are words of encouragement, and a place to lay it all out on the table. A lot of these people are TEENAGERS. They're afraid. They won't tell anyone they know because they're embarassed and think no one will care...this is their outlet.
I'm old, exhausted, depressed, and hungry(eat more spam!). I hurt too much to sleep and staying awake is too overwhelming to think about. Why am I reading this "news" site? I think I was just looking for wisdom and encouragement from the youth of America. You know, like Nixon at the Washington Monument(Lincoln Memorial?)? We'll, I think I'll go run across Greenbow County.
advising people to "starve to death after thanksgiving" or "telling people how to starve to death after thanksgiving" are both statements that the readers should have a right know if they choose.
the service provider for the blogs should not be making the choice for the readers and forcing the blog owners to write in accordance to hypocritical standards.
however, i bet the service providers also don't support the 'right to choose" agenda.
It's about time they did this! I had a friend just last year who was doing an article on young people's health for a nutrition and exercise class. Her project began focused on sports injuries in teenagers, and searched for firsthand accounts. But when searches containing words like 'bones' and 'ribs' repeatedly brought up people's pro anorexic and bulimic blogs, she switched the theme of her project to focus on this disturbing trend. It's sad, and the people who patronize these bloggers and encourage them are absolutely disgusting.
Such a non subject to discuss...
Idk how people go so off topic. Going back to the article...I think this is a great idea. The fact that there are "pro" self-harm blogs that have lasted THIS long is sad and ridiculous. No reason to spread that word any further. Yank crap like that off the internet. I'm all for the freedom of speech except when it encourages people to hurt themselves.
You can't be pro freedom of speech... and then have exceptions... either you believe in freedom of speech or you don't. Instead of removing the blogs they should only allow those 18+ or even 21+ to read them.
caroleanndumbassiano there are restrictions to freedom of speech ie; insiting a riot, yelling fire in a crowded movie theater, etc... speech that encourages another to do harm is not, nor should it be, protected by the constitution
The proper spelling is "incite"....I guess you'd know that if you weren't so busy watching FOX news.
I'm sorry but what tumblr is doing is wrong... what ever happened to freedom of speech? as a former self harmer I found it easier to resist the urge to cut when I had an outlet i.e., blogging. Blogging enabled me to meet others like myself and eventually I realized I wasn't as alone as I once thought.
The Constitution wasn't written for bloggers. It was written to protect people from the government and Tumblr is a privately owned company.
The site isn't going against venting about these issues. You just can't advocate them.
S.A.F.E. Alternatives aka selfinjury.com provides a “trigger-free” blog/site. We ask that you do not use language containing graphic descriptions of Self Injurious behaviors. Words such as self injury, self harm, and the initials S.I. will be approved. Be mindful of swear words which are inappropriate and offensive to minors and others. This site is monitored and anyone found to continually violate these conditions will be removed from this entire blog site. Please follow S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES’ philosophy and help us maintain a “trigger-free” blog. Thank you.
caroleannedumbassiano what tumblr is doing is not wrong they are not prevnting people from talking about these issues just keeping them from grorifying and promoting the practice. Freedom of speech, as defined in the constitution does include restrictions, ie; insiting others to riot, yelling fire in a crowded movie theater, threatening someon if you have the means and capacity to carry it out, etc... encouraging someone to do harm to themselves or others is not nor should it be protected by the constitution.