Tumblr traffic takes a tumble since porn ban brought in

Tumblr’s traffic has been tumbling in a downward trajectory ever since the microblogging site decided to ban all pornographic material from the platform. The site has seen a 30-percent drop in visits since becoming SFW.

While Tumblr was never meant to be an adult content site, it somehow evolved into a place where adult content, including porn and a range of sex positive communities, thrived.

The site pulled its app from app stores in November after it found child pornography had slipped through its filters and was on the site. The app was down for a month before the company announced it was banning all adult content in December, unknowingly triggering a massive dive in traffic.

According to data compiled by Similar Web, Tumblr page views were at 521 million on December 3. By January, the site was down by more than 84 million views, and by February, Tumblr traffic was down to 369.5 million, a 30-percent drop since the ban began.

Many Tumblr members used the site for adult topics, from nudity to body positivity blogs to indie porn and art.

Users began to complain about the adult content ban as soon as it kicked in, saying there was inconsistency with the posts that were banned and that some images were being wrongfully hidden.

Social media users have largely reacted to the traffic flop by saying Tumblr “deserves” the fall, although some have commended the company for removing all adult content.

“We made a strategic decision for the business that better positions it for long-term growth among more types of users. This was the right decision,” a Tumblr spokesperson told CNET.

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