Tumblr used to be the wild west of the internet. If you spent any time there circa 2012, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It was this weird, beautiful, often chaotic blend of fandom art, deep poetry, and, well, a staggering amount of adult content. But then 2018 happened. The Great Purge, as users called it, basically flipped the switch overnight, attempts to scrub the platform of naked videos on tumblr and explicit imagery led to a massive digital migration.
Honestly, it was a mess.
One day you’re scrolling through aesthetic mood boards, and the next, half the blogs you follow are "flagged" or just gone. Verizon (who owned it at the time via Oath) made a corporate call that changed the internet's landscape forever. They wanted to make the site brand-safe. They wanted to get back into the Apple App Store after being booted for child safety issues. But in doing so, they sort of ripped the soul out of the community. People didn't just lose their hobbies; they lost their digital homes.
The 2018 Ban and the NSFW Fallout
The ban wasn't just about a few stray clips. It was a fundamental shift in how the platform functioned. Before December 2018, Tumblr was the primary host for independent creators, sex educators, and the queer community to share content that wasn't allowed on Instagram or Facebook. When the policy changed to prohibit "adult content," including naked videos on tumblr, the AI filters went haywire.
It was hilarious in a dark way. The algorithm was so aggressive it started flagging pictures of desert dunes because the curves looked like human bodies. It flagged Renaissance paintings. It even flagged photos of beige sweaters.
This "Purge" caused Tumblr’s traffic to crater. According to data from SimilarWeb at the time, the site lost nearly a third of its traffic in the months following the ban. Users didn't just stop posting explicit stuff; they left the platform entirely. They headed to Twitter (now X), Mastodon, or niche sites like Newgrounds and Pillowfort. The exodus was real, and for a few years, it felt like Tumblr was a ghost town inhabited only by SuperWhoLock fans and people who really liked vintage frogs.
Why the ban happened (the real story)
It wasn't just a moral crusade. It was largely about FOSTA-SIPA, a pair of US bills designed to fight sex trafficking. While the intent was good, the practical effect was that platforms became legally terrified of hosting any adult content at all. If one bad thing slipped through, the company could be held liable. For a struggling giant like Verizon, the risk-to-reward ratio for hosting naked videos on tumblr just didn't make sense anymore.
👉 See also: LG UltraGear OLED 27GX700A: The 480Hz Speed King That Actually Makes Sense
The 2022 Pivot: Adult Content is Kinda Back?
Fast forward a few years. Tumblr changed hands again, bought by Automattic (the folks behind WordPress) for a fraction of its original $1.1 billion price tag. In late 2022, they decided to loosen the reins. They realized that the "no skin" rule was killing the vibe.
They introduced new community labels.
You can now post "Nudity," but there’s a massive catch. It has to be "artistic, educational, or journalistic." The platform remains strictly "no-porn." This distinction is incredibly blurry. What one person calls a "study of the human form," a moderator might call a violation. It’s a tightrope walk that most users are still trying to figure out.
- Sexual Themes Label: This is for suggestive content that doesn't show the goods.
- Nudity Label: This is for actual skin. It's meant for art, breastfeeding, or health-related posts.
- The "No-Go" Zone: Direct depictions of sex acts or hardcore naked videos on tumblr are still strictly forbidden.
If you’re looking for the old-school, unfiltered experience, you’re not going to find it. The filters are still there, they're just a little less "nuke-everything-from-orbit" than they used to be.
Where the Community Went
If you're wondering where all that deleted content ended up, it's scattered. A huge chunk of the NSFW community moved to Twitter, but since the Elon Musk takeover, that's become its own brand of chaotic. Others moved to OnlyFans to monetize what they used to give away for free on Tumblr.
Interestingly, there’s been a "Tumblr Renaissance" lately. Gen Z has started colonizing the site because they're tired of the TikTok algorithm. They like that Tumblr is chronological (mostly) and doesn't force a "For You" page down your throat quite as aggressively. But this new crowd is different. They’re there for the memes and the "hellsite" energy, not necessarily for the adult content of the past.
✨ Don't miss: How to Remove Yourself From Group Text Messages Without Looking Like a Jerk
The Problem with the Filters
Even today, the automated systems are pretty janky. You'll see users complaining on the "staff" tag all the time about their totally innocent art being hidden. Because Tumblr relies so heavily on AI to catch naked videos on tumblr, there’s a high rate of false positives. This creates a "shadowban" effect where your posts don't show up in search results or tags, essentially muting your voice without telling you why.
It’s frustrating. You spend hours on a digital painting, and because the skin tone is too close to a certain hex code, the bot decides you're a porn bot.
Safety and Scams: The Darker Side
We have to talk about the bots. If you’ve been on the site for more than five minutes, you’ve probably been followed by "Emily12345" with a profile picture that looks... suspicious.
Since the ban, actual creators have left, but the "porn bots" never did. They just got smarter. They post links to external sites, often phishing scams or malware-heavy "premium" galleries. This is the irony of the 2018 ban: it hurt the real people and the community, but it didn't actually stop the spam. If you see a post promising "leaked" naked videos on tumblr, 99% of the time it's a trap. Don't click the links. Seriously.
How to stay safe on the modern "Hellsite"
- Check the URL: If a post tries to redirect you away from Tumblr to a site you don't recognize, close the tab.
- Report the Bots: It feels like shouting into a void, but reporting the "pornbots" does help the algorithm eventually catch up.
- Use the Blocker: Tumblr’s blocking tool is your best friend. Use it liberally.
- Community Labels: If you are posting something even slightly edgy, use the labels. If you don't, you're just asking for your account to be suspended.
What’s next for the platform?
Automattic seems committed to making Tumblr "the place for fandom" again. They're adding features like "Tips" and "Post+," trying to help creators make money without needing to go the adult route. It's a pivot toward a more "wholesome" but still "weird" identity.
The era of naked videos on tumblr being a primary draw is over. It’s a historical footnote now. The site is trying to find a middle ground—a place where you can be a bit provocative and "edgy" without triggering a legal disaster. Whether they can actually pull that off remains to be seen. The internet is a very different place than it was in 2012. People have shorter attention spans and higher expectations for privacy.
🔗 Read more: How to Make Your Own iPhone Emoji Without Losing Your Mind
Tumblr is currently in a state of "controlled chaos." It's better than it was during the darkest days of the 2019 exodus, but it’s never going back to what it was. And honestly? That might be okay. The site has survived more "deaths" than almost any other social network. It's the cockroach of the internet.
Actionable Steps for Users
If you’re trying to navigate the site today, here is what you actually need to do to have a good experience.
First, fix your dashboard. Go into your settings and toggle the "Sensitive Content" filters. If you want to see the more "artistic" side of things, you have to manually opt-in. Tumblr hides this by default now.
Second, don't rely on search. The search function on Tumblr is notoriously bad, especially for anything remotely sensitive. Instead, follow specific creators or use very niche tags. The big, broad tags are usually flooded with those bots I mentioned earlier.
Third, archive your stuff. If you have a blog with years of history, use a tool like "TumblThree" or the built-in export tool. History has shown that Tumblr can change its mind about what’s allowed at a moment's notice. Don't let your digital history be at the mercy of a corporate policy change.
Lastly, support the artists who stayed. There are incredible photographers and painters still using the platform to push boundaries within the new rules. Following them, reblogging their work (with the right labels), and engaging with the community is the only way the "new" Tumblr survives.