What is Tumblr?

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Tumblr is a social media and blogging platform where users post images, GIFs, memes, videos, writing, and short blog entries. It’s owned by Automattic (the company behind WordPress).

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Tumblr feels different from Instagram or TikTok. Instead of following people you know, users follow interests and fandom communities. A teen might never anything, but still spend hours scrolling.

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Think of Tumblr as a combination of Reddit and Pinterest.

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Users create a profile (“blog”), and can post content, re-share others’ posts (“reblogging”), follow tags (topics), and message other users

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The minimum age to use Tumblr is 13.

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How Does Tumblr Work?

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Tumblr revolves around a dashboard feed.

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Instead of mainly showing friends, Tumblr shows posts from:

• blogs you follow
• tags you follow
• recommended content

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You'll often find art, writing, fan fiction, memes, commentary, photos, GIFs, and personal opinions.

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Key features on Tumblr:

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Reblogging. Users can repost someone else’s post onto their own blog. This is the primary way content spreads.

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Tags. Just like hashtags used in other apps, these group together content based on a specific keyword. Tags are extremely important on Tumbrl and helpy fule it's algorithm which shows you content it thinks you'd like to see.

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What Do Parents Need to Know About Tumblr?

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Tumblr gets risky because it is community-driven and often anonymous.

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Tumblr Has Anonymous Messaging

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The “Ask” feature allows other users to send messages, sometimes anonymously.

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That means a child can receive inappropriate questions, harassment, or manipulative conversations.

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Parents often don’t realize Tumblr includes private communication.

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Tumblr Has Mature Themes and Content

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Tumblr previously attempted to restrict explicit material, but mature content still appears through art, GIFs, fan fiction, and discussion communities.

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A teen doesn’t have to go looking for it. Following a fandom or tag can gradually expose them to mature themes they might not be ready to experience.

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How to Make Tumblr Safer:

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Regardless of the app, three actions mitigate the risks we’ve shared. We teach these actions in our parent presentations:

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1. Require approval for all app downloads.
2. Follow the 7-Day Rule
3. Enable in-app controls and settings

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We explain each of them briefly below. If you’ve already set up approvals for downloads and have used the app, please skip to the In-App Controls & Settings.

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Require Approval for App Downloads

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You can control app stores by requiring permission for apps to be downloaded. This is ensures your child doesn’t have access to an app without your knowledge. Here are the steps (for Apple and Android users):

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For Apple Devices:

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To require permission to download an app, you’ll need to set up Screen Time and Family Sharing (Apple’s Parental Controls). We explain this process step-by-step in our Complete iOS Guide (click here).  

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Once Screen Time and Family Sharing are established, here’s how to require permission to download apps on an Apple device:

1. Go to your Settings app.
2. Select your Family.
3. Select the person you want to apply this setting to.
4. Scroll down to “Ask to Buy” and enable.

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For Android Devices:

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You’ll have to use Family Link (Android’s parental controls) to ensure you retain control over what apps are downloaded. We explain this process step-by-step in our Android Guide (click here).

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Once Family Link is established, here’s how to require permission to download apps on an Android device:

1. Go to the Family Link App
2. Select the person you want to apply this setting to.
3. Select “Google Play Store”
4. Select “Purchases & download approval” and set it to “All Content.”

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Follow the 7-Day Rule

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This is our tried-and-true method of determining whether a specific app is safe for your specific child.

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Before you let your child use it, download the app and use it for 7 days.

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Create an account with your child’s age and gender and use it for 7 days. Play through a few levels, review the ads, see if anyone can chat with you, and poke around like a curious child.

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After a week, ask yourself, “Do I want my child to experience what I did?”  Even if you decide to allow them to download the app, now you have a basis for curious conversations about the app when you check in.

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Enable In-App Controls & Settings

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Tumblr does have safety settings, but they must be manually enabled.

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How to Turn Off Anonymous Messages on Tumblr:

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Inside the app:

1. Tap profile icon
2. Tap Settings
3. Tap the blog name
4. Tap Ask
5. Turn OFF Allow anonymous questions

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How to Control Messaging on Tumblr:

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Go to your Settings → Messaging

Turn OFF the following settings:

• Allow messages from anyone
• Allow asks from strangers

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You can also limit messages to blogs they follow only.

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How to Enable Filtering on Tumblr:

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Tumblr includes a hidden content filter.

1. Settings
2. Account Settings
3. Filtering
4. Turn on Hide explicit posts

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You can also add blocked keywords (for example: specific tags you don’t want appearing).

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How to Make Your Tumblr Account Private:

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Go to your Blog Settings → Visibility

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Then turn ON: “Hide [blog name] from people without an account.”

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Bottom Line: Is Tumblr Safe for Kids?

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For elementary and middle school ages, no. We don't recommend this app for those age groups.

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For high school ages, this app can be okay if you follow the steps above and stay involved with your child's activity on Tumblr. However, Tumblr is always one click away from risky content. Try it out yourself for those 7 days before allowing it!

What if I have more questions? How can I stay up to date?

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Two actions you can take!

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1. Subscribe to our tech trends newsletter, the PYE Download. About every 3 weeks, we’ll share what’s new, what the PYE team is up to, and a message from Chris.
2. Ask your questions in our private parent community called The Table! It’s not another Facebook group. No ads, no algorithms, no asterisks. Just honest, critical conversations and deep learning! For parents who want to “go slow” together. Become a member today!

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