Tumblr is violating its users' rights

Although some content might be disturbing and convey messages dissonant with the views of the website as a whole, Tumblr should not restrict the type of content that appears on its users’ pages.

While the website is owned and operated by a governing body, the general intention of a blogging site is that it is a free environment that can serve as an open forum to any ideas.

Users create their own URLs and have the ability to post whatever they want on that site.

It is an incredible violation of these intentions if the overarching site does anything to limit the creativity and freedom of the blog creators, unless the content is downright illegal, such as child pornography.

There are, of course, other measures beyond censorship that Tumblr can take to counteract the negativity that content relating to self-harm might cause.

One possible opportunity would be for Tumblr to include content along the siderails, which is usually reserved for ad content, that offers help options for those who are suffering with either eating disorders or emotional damage.

This will allow for the public to receive the health information it needs without limiting the opportunity for bloggers to have an open forum through which to post their ideas.

While it is incredibly refreshing to see a company that cares about the possible effect its content will have on its users, the way to help is not to censor or limit the voices of those who use it.

The much better option would be to create alternative options to those viewpoints, so viewers can see other lifestyle choices, as well as the content put up by the bloggers themselves.

— azoot@indiana.edu