7 - Social Media

 Tumblr

Launched in 2007, Tumblr emerged as one of the web's most distinctive and influential social media apps. Tumblr offers a unique blend of blogging, networking, and creativity into a single platform. Its niche audience has helped shape internet, music, and fashion culture in a way that is still relevant to this day.

What set Tumblr apart from other social media apps was its flexibility in its interface and personalization. Tumblr allows users to post text, images, GIFs, music, and videos, as well as customize their blogs to their heart's content. The reblog feature makes it easy for users to share and engage with each other's content, encouraging the viral spread of ideas, aesthetics, and humor. Tumblr makes it easy for people to curate a digital space that reflects their identity and interests. 

Image from Lifewire's "Tumblr: What It Is and How to Join It"

Tumblr has played a major role in internet culture, particularly among conversations of identity, activism, and fandoms. The platform was one of the first social media places where people openly discussed gender identity, sexual orientation, mental health, and social justice, making it a formative space for young users figuring out who they were. Fandoms for shows and musicians like Doctor Who, Harry Potter, One Direction, and Taylor Swift, among many others, thrived on Tumblr, where users created fanfictions, fan art, GIF sets, and had active discussions. 

Graph of different fandoms' numbers from Destination Toast. 

The platform was also a huge influence on aesthetics across the internet, especially in the realms of fashion, moodboards, and visual culture. The platform helped popularize distinct styles like "soft grunge," "pastel goth," "dark academia," and the iconic "2014 Tumblr girl" look, characterized by chokers, oversized flannels, American Apparel, and dark lipstick. Users curated their blogs like personal vision boards, blogging and reblogging images that reflected a specific vibe or identity. These aesthetics became digital subcultures, complete with their own values, music, and photo filters. Many of these trends eventually slipped into mainstream culture, influencing brands and celebrities. The platform's ability to create and spread aesthetics cemented its reputation as a cultural trend-setter of the 2010s internet. 

A video over different Tumblr aesthetics and their comebacks. 

However, Tumblr has also faced challenges and controversies over the years. One of the biggest issues that the platform has faced is the abnormal amount of supportive self-harm and eating disorder content. The site began banning blogs that posted this content in 2012, but to this day, users still find ways around the app's filters (BBC). Tumblr has also had cases of explicit images of children being posted, and was momentarily banned from the App Store in 2018 because of this. In an attempt to get this issue under control, Tumblr implemented a ban on adult content that same year, making their filters stronger and stricter regarding pornographic content (BBC). These issues led to a massive decline in active users, and the app began to lose relevance. 

Despite its initial decline, Tumblr's legacy remains strong. Its influence can still be seen in aesthetics and formats on apps like TikTok and Instagram. Even now, Gen Z audiences have began flocking to Tumblr in light of the TikTok ban, reviving a space where users can immerse themselves in niche communities (Fast Company). In the constantly shifting world of social media, Tumblr stands out as a platform that prioritized creativity, community, and individuality. While it may no longer be as dominant of a force as it once was, its impact on internet culture is undeniable.