Why Is Tumblr Taking the Fall for Apple?

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

I have now read about a dozen articles taking Tumblr to task for its decision to ban adult content. I don’t get this. Tumblr’s decision was very clearly forced on it by Apple, which removed Tumblr from the App Store until it cleaned up its act. This is the equivalent of the death penalty: Tumblr can’t survive without access to the Apple ecosystem, so they have to do what Apple tells them.

So why isn’t everyone yelling at Apple instead? They’re the ones who are responsible for this new policy. But … crickets.

POSTSCRIPT: If I were running Tumblr, I’d fork the app and create a new one just for Apple. If you want the old Tumblr, you can get it on Android or Windows or whatever. If you insist on using an iPhone, you get a bowdlerized version. Don’t like it? Complain to Tim Cook.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate