14 Bad Things About Tumblr 

Tumblr is one of the most popular microblogging and social media platforms available today. It features a blog-like design that allows content creators and advertisers to write long-form articles for different audiences.

Tumblr also has a short post option where anyone can create a short text message and share it with friends and family. Individuals can interact on the platform by sending private messages or replying to comments on posts.

The website allows users to utilize other forms of media including videos and photos as long as they do not contain inappropriate content. However, like most social media platforms, Tumblr has some downsides that cannot be ignored.

Thankfully, I have prepared a list of bad things about Tumblr you should be aware of.

Read on.

Bad Things About Tumblr

1. Compromises Emotional Connection

Image by Cottonbro Studio

One of the main reasons why people opt for social media platforms such as Tumblr is to establish new relationships and nurture existing ones. That is why people send each other messages and interact by posting comments on posts.

Ironically, this method of communication can be quite the opposite of what it was meant to be. For instance, reading a message on social media can be extremely plain.

Such a message lacks the tonal variations and facial expressions that would otherwise accompany physical communication. With that in mind, it is easy to understand why communications may be compromised.

For instance, a heartfelt apology can come across as just another text. It is also difficult to determine who among your connections is genuine.

2. Encourages Laziness

Image by Andrea Piacquadio

In the past, people would have to walk from their houses to their neighbors’ or friends’ houses just to meet up and enjoy each other’s company. They would also have to walk those distances just to pass along a message.

Today, there is no real need to get out of the house and walk. Instead, all you have to do is post something on social media and everybody will know about it. Even something as easy as going upstairs to tell your siblings to come down for dinner is no longer happening.

You simply have to send them a message on Tumblr and they’ll be down in a few moments. This culture of sending messages on Tumblr and other social media platforms has therefore contributed to creating a culture of laziness.

3. Can Be Used to Spread False Information

Image by Joshua Miranda

Another bad thing about Tumblr is that people use it to spread false information. For instance, when running marketing campaigns for new products, people can exaggerate the ingredients or the effectiveness of a product.

The same can be said about people who offer services. Additionally, malicious people can use the platform to spread false news which can end up causing a lot of distress to people from all walks of life.

Tumblr has rules and regulations that discourage people from misusing the platform for such issues. However, there is no foolproof way to control or ensure that the information made available is authentic.

Check Out: Best Apps Like YikYak

4. Can Compromise Productivity

Image by Ono Kosuki

Like every other social media platform, Tumblr can be accessed from any location as long as you have a device that is connected to the internet. That means both employees and business people have access to Tumblr at all times.

Instead of spending a lot of their time on important matters related to work, such people end up procrastinating or getting distracted by whatever is trending on the platform. At the end of the day, employees and business people do not work at their full potential.

Tumblr ends up eating into their time. This can compromise profits and even lead to poor customer relations. Additionally, employees may end up losing their jobs if their employers find out that they are spending their working time on social media.

Explore: Pros & Cons of Snapchat

5. Scams and Security Issues

Image by Nataliya Vaitkevich

Another unpleasant thing about Tumblr is that it does not yet have full-proof security against things like identity theft. According to Earthweb, social media platforms account for about 12% of cases where a user clicks on phishing URLs.

Phishing refers to a situation where scammers present you with a fake URL disguised as a genuine Tumblr site. You then proceed to enter your details as usual only to realize that you have shared your information with a fraudster.

Once those individuals have your details, they use them to log into your genuine account and then block you out. They can then start communicating with your contacts and asking them for money or more information to be used for things like accessing your bank accounts.

Another strategy that can be used on Tumblr is false job advertisements. Tumblr does not have any way of verifying whether the job offer posted is genuine or not.

Users are therefore left to determine if they should submit applications at their own discretion. Some fraudsters pick people’s personal information from Tumblr and use it for secondary scams while others ask for money to secure interviews.

Explore: Best Social Catfish Alternatives

6. Inappropriate Content

Image by Ron Lach

Another bad thing about Tumblr is that it can be used to spread pornographic content. Of course, the platform does not allow the posting of pornographic videos or pictures.

However, a lot of users have found a workaround and instead of posting such content, they simply post links that lead to the content itself. This can be quite harmful to teenagers who are more curious about their surroundings.

Even if your teenager is not intentionally searching for pornographic material, chances are that they may scroll down their newsfeed and bump into an interesting article that contains links to explicit content.

Inappropriate content may also come in other forms instead of just videos and photos. Sometimes people write posts that are full of suggestive information which may not be healthy for a young person to consume.

Also Read: Pros & Cons of Instagram

7. Can Facilitate Bullying

Image by RDNE Stock Project

Like other social media platforms, Tumblr was created to facilitate the creation of new friendships and sharing of information freely. However, that is not always the case.

In certain instances, when a user expresses their opinion on a matter, they may end up getting a lot of negative comments. But these comments are not disagreeing with the opinion expressed, rather they attack the user personally.

For example, if a person notes that they do not like a certain show on TV, they may end up getting bashed for looking ugly or for having a particular skin color. Those opposed to the user’s opinion simply start bullying them instead of raising valid points against the opinion expressed.

The bad news is that Tumblr is not well-equipped to regulate such interactions and that may lead to depression on the part of victims. There are also people who bully others based on the type of food they eat, their religion, or their looks which can be quite disheartening.

Also Read: VSCO vs Instagram

8. Can Harm Privacy

Image by Tima Miroshnichenko

While quite a number of people understand the importance of maintaining privacy on social media platforms like Tumblr, there are still a few who do not appreciate it as they should.

For instance, there are a lot of people who post videos of their homes including the interiors, exteriors, and even the address of their homes. This can compromise safety and security because you never know who is watching your content on Tumblr.

There are also people who make updates of their current locations. Such information can be used by stalkers to track your movements and inflict harm.

When using a platform like Tumblr, you must avoid sharing real-time information about your whereabouts unless you are absolutely sure it is safe to do so.

You should also avoid showing too much of your home because such information can be used to organize criminal activities against you and your loved ones.

Also Read: Best Facebook Alternatives For Adults

8. Can Lead to a Drop in Academic Performance

Image by Monstera

Another bad thing about Tumblr is that it can lead to a drop in academic performance. That is because a lot of students may end up spending hours creating their own content or watching content that others have made.

This can eat into the time they should have used to study. In certain instances, students even sneak into class with their mobile devices and watch Tumblr videos without their teacher’s knowledge.

In the end, such students may miss important concepts taught in class, and that inevitably leads to a drop in academic performance.

Explore: Best Ethical Alternatives To Facebook

9. Glorifies False Lifestyles

Image by Tran Long

Like many other social media platforms, Tumblr users tend to glorify false lifestyles. For instance, a person may go out of their way to show how they are living a much better lifestyle than the average person.

That is why the inclusion of flashy cars, exotic dishes, and trendy fashion in videos and photos is quite popular. However, in most cases, the people who create such content display a false image of themselves.

Sometimes the content creator is simply advertising a car or an accessory in a subtle manner when in reality they do not own those things. But those who consume the content assume that it is all real and that may cause them to start having negative thoughts about themselves.

Think of a 30-year-old who has never owned a car watching teenagers of about 18 or 19 years old owning luxurious cars. The 30-year-old may start feeling like they are a failure because they could never achieve what the younger person has.

Check Out: Snapchat vs TikTok

10. Causes Harm to Self-Esteem

Image by Liza Summer

Another bad thing about Tumblr is that it can lead to low self-esteem. That is because most social media platforms encourage people to improve their aesthetics before sharing content online.

For instance, there are many apps that allow women to get rid of things like spots on their skin and even lighten or darken their complexion. They also get filters that improve their eyes, brows, and even hair.

As others consume their content, they get the impression that there are some people who are extremely beautiful, and yet they have to deal with things like spots on their skin or a bad complexion.

This generally tends to lower the self-esteem of users on social media. At the same time, those who use such filters to improve their appearance tend to have little confidence in how they look in real life which is why they use all sorts of filters to improve their image.

This unrealistic standard of beauty can lead to even worse things including depression, anorexia, or isolation from the public.

Also Read: Best Times To Post On Social Media

11. It Wastes Time

Image by Eugene Shelestov

One of the things to note about social platforms such as Tumblr is that they can be quite addictive. You’ll find yourself scrolling through your device right from the minute you wake up until very late at night.

Even when you are supposed to focus on things such as cooking or preparing the baby for the day, you waste a lot of time on Tumblr before you start doing your most important chores.

Not only does Tumblr waste your time, but it also causes a distraction. Instead of families or friends focusing on their moments together, they tend to drift off to the digital world and miss the opportunity to bond on a personal level.

Also Read: Likee vs TikTok

12. Advertisements Can Be Annoying

Image by Sora Shimazaki

While creating an account and using Tumblr is completely free of charge, you are going to have to put up with many adverts. These adverts may be relevant or irrelevant but there is nothing you can do about them unless you opt for the Ad-Free Browsing option.

In that case, you’ll have to subscribe to the premium plan which costs $4.99 per month. This subscription is automatically renewed every month until you opt out.

You can also opt to pay it on a yearly basis at a rate of $39.99. It is worth noting that the yearly plan is relatively cheaper than what you would pay overall on a monthly basis over the same period of time.

At the end of the day, you are either going to have to tolerate the annoying adverts or part ways with your hard-earned cash, which can be a bummer.

Explore: Best Similar Worlds Alternatives

13. Includes All Sorts of Topics

Image by Toni Cuenca

Another bad thing about Tumblr is that it has made it easy for people to talk about any topic under the sun. While that may appear progressive at face value, you’ll quickly realize that it is not the case.

For instance, there are topics about people who enjoy incestuous relationships. There are also topics about people who constantly bring up suicidal topics which can be harmful to others who are going through depression.

What makes this bad is that the topics are not moderated and therefore anyone can say anything regardless of the harm it can inflict on other users.

14. Can Facilitate Sexual Predator Activities

Image by RDNE Stock Project

The minimum allowable age to join Tumblr is 13 years old and this can present quite a challenge to parents that are trying to keep their children safe. For starters, such teens do not yet have the necessary social skills to discern who is genuine and who is not.

But yet, these teens will find themselves interacting with all sorts of people on the social media platform. This can lead to sexual predators taking advantage of the teens.

Remember that sexual predators do not always have to meet with the teen. Sometimes they entice them into sending things like nude photos or videos over the internet.

Such photos and videos can then be used for malicious purposes.

Also Read: Is TikTok Safe For Younger Kids?

Wrapping Up

Tumblr is one of the most popular social media platforms today. It offers an excellent way for people across the world to connect and share their opinions and even build relationships.

Businesses also get to showcase their services and products through affordable advertising options. However, just like other social media platforms, Tumblr comes with some negatives as noted above.

Understanding the bad things about Tumblr is key to ensuring that not only do you and your loved ones stay safe but also enjoy the experience of using the platform.