Tumblr now limits users’ ability to search for posts tagged “bald,” “single dad,” “beard,” and “selfie,” among hundreds of other keywords, for fear of running afoul of Apple’s safety standards. In a Dec. 21 update, Tumblr developers said they were expanding “the definition of what sensitive content is as well as the way you access it in order to comply with [Apple’s] guidelines.” They noted that some search queries may turn up fewer results than usual, and others “might not produce any results at all.”
Apple’s safety policy states that iOS apps “should not include content that is offensive, insensitive, upsetting, intended to disgust, in exceptionally poor taste, or just plain creepy,” and goes on to detail specific prohibitions on porn, gore, hate speech, content that encourages self-harm, and so on.
A Tumblr user who runs a blog called bannedtags has compiled a list of at least 446 tags that Tumblr has blocked from appearing in search results, based on their own attempts to search for the words on the iOS app. In addition to blocking obviously fraught words like “penis,” “cocaine,” and “gore,” Tumblr also appears to ban innocuous words like “girl,” “sad,” and “me.”
Eugene LevyA sampling of Tumblr’s banned words
The Tumblr user who compiled the list of blocked words has stressed it’s not comprehensive and may change over time. But here are some of its stranger entries, as of the time of publication:
• About
• Big
• Eugene Levy
• Selfie
• Tony the Tiger…
MacDailyNews Take: The amount of magic mushrooms routinely shipped into Apple’s App Store review office cubicle must be staggering.
I am the common man. I’m polite, I love my family, and I play by the rules… I like to have a regimen. I don’t like to be fancy free. — Eugene Levy
Which part of the title confused you?
Apple is not obligated to carry Tumbler.
Tumbler should not be obligated to only sell through Apple.
The owners of iOS devices should not be forced to get things only through Apple.
Serously. You care about tumblr’s right to select where they sell, but not Apple’s right to choose their business model/platform type.
Apple should have the right to choose its model, and if it’s bad, markets will punish it (as long as there is a real option in the markets, which Android obviously is).
Forcing Apple to open App Store would decrease available options for consumers and force them to select open even if they don’t want to. It would lead to less choice, less freedom, not more.
The consumers must have the right to choose what they like, open or closed. If you like open, go ahead, choose open. But do not take away my right to choose closed, if that’s what I like more.
I clearly said “ Apple is not obligated to carry Tumbler.”
You have the choice not to use Tumblr as envisioned by it’s owner or to run an “Apple Specific Version” as they have done. Where’s the “normal” version for the iPad and how do I get it?
Stop forcing people to shop at your store. That’s censorship over other’s Apps and other’s devices.
Who cares what you like as long as you’re not censored from it?
Epitome of absurdity!!!
‘Girl’, ‘Sad’, ‘ Me’, ‘ Big’ ….are considered offensive???🤯🤯🤯
I guess language as a whole is offensive and should be banned too.
Okay, I’ll bite, why are “Eugene Levy” and “Tony the Tiger” banned?
so it is Tumblr banning these actual words …. not Apple …
Which part of the title confused you?
Apple is not obligated to carry Tumbler.
Tumbler should not be obligated to only sell through Apple.
The owners of iOS devices should not be forced to get things only through Apple.
This is why anti-trust.
I like Apple’s model. If you don’t, you can choose Android. But if Apple’s model is banned, I can’t buy only from the App Store.
Why not give both of these business models a chance, and let the market decide which one customers like more?
Serously. You care about tumblr’s right to select where they sell, but not Apple’s right to choose their business model/platform type.
Apple should have the right to choose its model, and if it’s bad, markets will punish it (as long as there is a real option in the markets, which Android obviously is).
Forcing Apple to open App Store would decrease available options for consumers and force them to select open even if they don’t want to. It would lead to less choice, less freedom, not more.
The consumers must have the right to choose what they like, open or closed. If you like open, go ahead, choose open. But do not take away my right to choose closed, if that’s what I like more.
I clearly said “ Apple is not obligated to carry Tumbler.”
You have the choice not to use Tumblr as envisioned by it’s owner or to run an “Apple Specific Version” as they have done. Where’s the “normal” version for the iPad and how do I get it?
Stop forcing people to shop at your store. That’s censorship over other’s Apps and other’s devices.
Who cares what you like as long as you’re not censored from it?
Epitome of absurdity!!!
‘Girl’, ‘Sad’, ‘ Me’, ‘ Big’ ….are considered offensive???🤯🤯🤯
I guess language as a whole is offensive and should be banned too.
I am done of tech determining what we see and read.
Honestly, apple has lost its way. This is 1984. Pathetic.
Apple likes wearing the “I Am Stupid” sign. And now they add the “I Am Evil” sign.
F1rst 1t’s the words….next 1t w1ll be the letters.