Changes

[[File:Screen shot 2011-08-31 at 3.34.58 PM.png|thumb|A fannish discussion taking place on Tumblr, with examples of "liking," direct replies, and reblogging.]]

[[File:Screen shot 2011-08-31 at 3.34.58 PM.png|thumb|A fannish discussion taking place on Tumblr, with examples of "liking," direct replies, and reblogging.]]

[[File:Derek Grumpy.png|thumb|Tumblr fandom in a nutshell: attractive actors, cats, internet memes, and an argument made with compelling visuals instead of text]]

[[File:Derek Grumpy.png|thumb|Tumblr fandom in a nutshell: attractive actors, cats, internet memes, and an argument made with compelling visuals instead of text]]

'''Tumblr''' is a micro-blogging platform with social networking features that allows users to post text, images, audio, and video. It is a popular tool for [[fannish]] [[picspam]]s and [[gif set]]s.  Tumblr users interact by replying directly to posts, "liking," and reblogging with optional commentary. Users can also DM each other via the "ask" feature, though the receiver then has the power to choose whether to answer privately, directly to the asker, or publicly on their blog, revealing the original question to all and sundry. In 2016 Tumblr added a messaging feature allowing blogs to chat back and forth privately. Lengthy discussions do take place on Tumblr, although they are less structured than on [[Journal-based fandom|journaling platforms]] such as [[LiveJournal]] and [[Dreamwidth]].  

'''Tumblr''' is a micro-blogging platform with social networking features that allows users to post text, images, audio, and video. It is a popular tool for [[fannish]] [[picspam]]s and [[gifset]]s.  Tumblr users interact by replying directly to posts, "liking," and reblogging with optional commentary. Users can also DM each other via the "ask" feature, though the receiver then has the power to choose whether to answer privately, directly to the asker, or publicly on their blog, revealing the original question to all and sundry. In 2016 Tumblr added a messaging feature allowing blogs to chat back and forth privately. Lengthy discussions do take place on Tumblr, although they are less structured than on [[Journal-based fandom|journaling platforms]] such as [[LiveJournal]] and [[Dreamwidth]].  

In May 2013, [[Yahoo!]] bought Tumblr for $1.1 billion,<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/technology/yahoo-to-buy-tumblr-for-1-1-billion.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Yahoo to Buy Tumblr for $1.1 Billion] dated May 19, 2013; [Yahoo to Buy Tumblr for $1.1 Billion reference link].</ref> leading some fans to predict a slow and gradual demise of the platform as a fandom community.<ref>[http://fail-fandomanon.livejournal.com/58263.html?thread=271994519#t271994519 Tumblr sponsors] post about advertising on [[Tumblr]] dated June 3, 2013;[http://www.webcitation.org/6H7uKX9O6 reference link].  </ref>  

In May 2013, [[Yahoo!]] bought Tumblr for $1.1 billion,<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/technology/yahoo-to-buy-tumblr-for-1-1-billion.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Yahoo to Buy Tumblr for $1.1 Billion] dated May 19, 2013; [Yahoo to Buy Tumblr for $1.1 Billion reference link].</ref> leading some fans to predict a slow and gradual demise of the platform as a fandom community.<ref>[http://fail-fandomanon.livejournal.com/58263.html?thread=271994519#t271994519 Tumblr sponsors] post about advertising on [[Tumblr]] dated June 3, 2013;[http://www.webcitation.org/6H7uKX9O6 reference link].  </ref>  

[[File:Otters Who Look Like Benedict Cumberbatch.png|thumb|Two more things that are popular on Tumblr: otters and [[Benedict Cumberbatch]]. Graphic created by Redscharlach.|left]]

[[File:Otters Who Look Like Benedict Cumberbatch.png|thumb|Two more things that are popular on Tumblr: otters and [[Benedict Cumberbatch]]. Graphic created by Redscharlach.|left]]

[[File:Flowerchildharryart.jpg|thumb|anonymous ask as a fanart prompt, posted with the fill|left]]

[[File:Flowerchildharryart.jpg|thumb|anonymous ask as a fanart prompt, posted with the fill|left]]

Tumblr is extremely diverse both in terms of the type of fandom, and the type of [[fanac]] hosted there. [[Gif]]s, [[filk]], [[vids]], [[fanart]], [[fanfiction]], [[screencap]]s, [[image macro]]s, [[podfic]], [[rec]]s, [[RP]]ing and [[meta]] can all be found there. A quick search for the tag "fanfic" produced results on the first page ranging from [[Dragonball Z]] to [[Glee]], as well as [[Harry Potter]], [[NCIS]], [[Tiger and Bunny]], [[Doctor Who]], [[Sherlock (BBC)]] and Justin Bieber [[RPF]].

Tumblr is extremely diverse both in terms of the type of fandom, and the type of [[fanac]] hosted there. [[Gif]]s, [[filk]], [[vids]], [[fanart]], [[fanfiction]], [[screencap]]s, [[image macro]]s, [[podfic]], [[rec]]s, [[RP]]ing and [[meta]] can all be found there. A quick search for the tag "fanfic" produced results on the first page ranging from [[Dragonball Z]] to [[Glee]], as well as [[Harry Potter]], [[NCIS]], [[Tiger and Bunny]], [[Doctor Who]], [[Sherlock (BBC)]] and [[Justin Bieber]] [[RPF]].

Fanfiction posting on Tumblr can take unique forms. [[Ficlets]] or [[drabbles]] can be built up collaboratively in the Tumblr equivalent of an impromptu [[round robin]], entirely in the hashtags.<ref>wallmakerrelict in [[fanficrants]]. [http://fanficrants.livejournal.com/10886155.html Tumblr etiquette? Or plagiarism?], 18 February 2012. (Accessed 21 February 2012); [http://web.archive.org/web/20150603033501/http://i.grab.la/05603-3bb68544-5e0b-43da-c1c5-3e6c7708ef01.png archived link]</ref><ref>[http://consultingsorcerer.tumblr.com/post/18037703776/in-which-erik-and-charles-are-just-out-of XMFC hashtag fic example] (Accessed 21 February 2012 (now offline, no archived link))</ref> Single-author ficlets may also appear as replies to a photo post.<ref>{{source| url = http://zimothy.tumblr.com/post/17812544964 | title =  XMFC photofic example by zimothy] | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20150602055006/http://zimothy.tumblr.com/post/17812544964 | archivedate = 2015-06-02 }}(Accessed 21 February 2012)</ref>

Fanfiction posting on Tumblr can take unique forms. [[Ficlets]] or [[drabbles]] can be built up collaboratively in the Tumblr equivalent of an impromptu [[round robin]], entirely in the hashtags.<ref>wallmakerrelict in [[fanficrants]]. [http://fanficrants.livejournal.com/10886155.html Tumblr etiquette? Or plagiarism?], 18 February 2012. (Accessed 21 February 2012); [http://web.archive.org/web/20150603033501/http://i.grab.la/05603-3bb68544-5e0b-43da-c1c5-3e6c7708ef01.png archived link]</ref><ref>[http://consultingsorcerer.tumblr.com/post/18037703776/in-which-erik-and-charles-are-just-out-of XMFC hashtag fic example] (Accessed 21 February 2012 (now offline, no archived link))</ref> Single-author ficlets may also appear as replies to a photo post.<ref>{{source| url = http://zimothy.tumblr.com/post/17812544964 | title =  XMFC photofic example by zimothy] | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20150602055006/http://zimothy.tumblr.com/post/17812544964 | archivedate = 2015-06-02 }}(Accessed 21 February 2012)</ref>

{{Quotation|"Heya Lovelies, please please don’t delete what an artist writes below their work. If you’d rather not have the words, then please don’t reblog it. The words are important too.  <3

{{Quotation|"Heya Lovelies, please please don’t delete what an artist writes below their work. If you’d rather not have the words, then please don’t reblog it. The words are important too.  <3

:#art #reblogging etiquette #this has really been weighing on me #the artwork was such a personal one too #part of me was not deemed good enough for the reblog" <ref>{{source| url = http://paintingmouse.tumblr.com/post/119865273527/heya-lovelies-please-please-dont-delete-what-an | title ="Heya lovelies please don't delete what an artist writes" | archiveurl =http://web.archive.org/web/20150601040351/http://paintingmouse.tumblr.com/post/119865273527/heya-lovelies-please-please-dont-delete-what-an| archivedate =2015-06-01}}</ref>}}

:<nowiki>#</nowiki>art #reblogging etiquette #this has really been weighing on me #the artwork was such a personal one too #part of me was not deemed good enough for the reblog" <ref>{{source| url = http://paintingmouse.tumblr.com/post/119865273527/heya-lovelies-please-please-dont-delete-what-an | title ="Heya lovelies please don't delete what an artist writes" | archiveurl =http://web.archive.org/web/20150601040351/http://paintingmouse.tumblr.com/post/119865273527/heya-lovelies-please-please-dont-delete-what-an| archivedate =2015-06-01}}</ref>}}

====Reblogging Your Own Posts====

====Reblogging Your Own Posts====

'''"asks"''' - an ask is a way for tumblr users to send a question to the blog owner. The owner can then respond privately or post the question and answer publicly to their blog.  This has led some to prohibit reblogging asks, especially in the [[role playing]] community:

'''"asks"''' - an ask is a way for tumblr users to send a question to the blog owner. The owner can then respond privately or post the question and answer publicly to their blog.  This has led some to prohibit reblogging asks, especially in the [[role playing]] community:

{{Quotation|"Reblogging asks:  This is the second worse thing you can do. If you reblog the ask I may not see it but also I may end up too overwhelmed to actually continue the scene. I get a lot of asks and if you all reblog your asks things may never go forward. Unless I've given you permission please don't reblog asks."</ref>{{source| url = http://timelordcurse.com/faq | title = Tenth Doctor | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20141102025744/http://timelordcurse.com:80/faq | archivedate = 2014-11-02 }}</ref>}}

{{Quotation|"Reblogging asks:  This is the second worse thing you can do. If you reblog the ask I may not see it but also I may end up too overwhelmed to actually continue the scene. I get a lot of asks and if you all reblog your asks things may never go forward. Unless I've given you permission please don't reblog asks."<ref>{{source| url = http://timelordcurse.com/faq | title = Tenth Doctor | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20141102025744/http://timelordcurse.com:80/faq | archivedate = 2014-11-02 }}</ref>}}

'''"read more" posts'''. This is where the main text of the post is folded so that in order to read the user must affirmatively click. It is a popular tool on Livejournal-style blogging platforms to spare your followers from having to spend too much time loading images or scrolling past content that doesn't interest them. In the tumblr world, the tool itself can be used in the same way; however, ''"read more" posts'' are considered by many to be a type of private conversation that readers should neither reblog nor comment on:

'''"read more" posts'''. This is where the main text of the post is folded so that in order to read the user must affirmatively click. It is a popular tool on Livejournal-style blogging platforms to spare your followers from having to spend too much time loading images or scrolling past content that doesn't interest them. In the tumblr world, the tool itself can be used in the same way; however, ''"read more" posts'' are considered by many to be a type of private conversation that readers should neither reblog nor comment on:

====End Result====

====End Result====

The difficulties of navigating a social platform built on reblogging is not limited to fandom. Parents who use tumblr to post photos of their children have also objected to their content being reblogged without permission.<ref>{{source| url = http://getoffmyinternets.net/mommy-style-forbids-you-from-reblogging-her-kids-on-tumblr/ | title = “Mommy Style” Forbids You From Reblogging Her Kids On Tumblr | GOMI |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/6YwkOw261 |archivedate= 2015-05-31 }}</ref>  This has led some to joke:{{Quotation|"Do NOT re-pin my Pinterest pins or RT my tweets. Thanks!!! xo"....Hey guys, could you quit subscribing to my blog? Thanks. And while you’re at it, could you just not read it? It’s a private work, you see."<ref>comments in {{source| url = http://getoffmyinternets.net/mommy-style-forbids-you-from-reblogging-her-kids-on-tumblr/ | title = “Mommy Style” Forbids You From Reblogging Her Kids On Tumblr | GOMI |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/6YwkOw261 |archivedate= 2015-05-31 }}</ref>}}

The difficulties of navigating a social platform built on reblogging is not limited to fandom. Parents who use tumblr to post photos of their children have also objected to their content being reblogged without permission.<ref>{{source| url = http://getoffmyinternets.net/mommy-style-forbids-you-from-reblogging-her-kids-on-tumblr/ | title = “Mommy Style” Forbids You From Reblogging Her Kids On Tumblr | GOMI |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/6YwkOw261 |archivedate= 2015-05-31 }}</ref>  This has led some to joke:{{Quotation|"Do NOT re-pin my [[Pinterest]] pins or RT my [[tweets]]. Thanks!!! xo"....Hey guys, could you quit subscribing to my blog? Thanks. And while you’re at it, could you just not read it? It’s a private work, you see."<ref>comments in {{source| url = http://getoffmyinternets.net/mommy-style-forbids-you-from-reblogging-her-kids-on-tumblr/ | title = “Mommy Style” Forbids You From Reblogging Her Kids On Tumblr | GOMI |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/6YwkOw261 |archivedate= 2015-05-31 }}</ref>}}

It is not surprising then, that for many fan users, reblogging remains a source of social anxiety and fear:{{Quotation|".... I often reblog art without thinking about it; I’m scared someone’s gonna call me out for reblogging “stolen art” even though I didn’t know it was stolen."<ref>{{source| url = http://miyakuli.tumblr.com/post/120220096450/kaoriiz-replied-to-your-post-sorry-i-just-have-to | title ="I'm scared someone's gonna call me out..." | archiveurl =http://web.archive.org/web/20150601022006/http://miyakuli.tumblr.com/post/120220096450/kaoriiz-replied-to-your-post-sorry-i-just-have-to| archivedate =2015-06-01}}</ref>}}

It is not surprising then, that for many fan users, reblogging remains a source of social anxiety and fear:{{Quotation|".... I often reblog art without thinking about it; I’m scared someone’s gonna call me out for reblogging “stolen art” even though I didn’t know it was stolen."<ref>{{source| url = http://miyakuli.tumblr.com/post/120220096450/kaoriiz-replied-to-your-post-sorry-i-just-have-to | title ="I'm scared someone's gonna call me out..." | archiveurl =http://web.archive.org/web/20150601022006/http://miyakuli.tumblr.com/post/120220096450/kaoriiz-replied-to-your-post-sorry-i-just-have-to| archivedate =2015-06-01}}</ref>}}

[[File:Tumblrtag1.png|thumb|right|Part 1 of a June 1, 2015 screengrab of tumblr posts discussing tagging etiquette. Click twice to see full-size. A complete copy of the 4 part screengrab can be found archived [http://web.archive.org/web/20150602014520/http://pp.screenshotlink.ru/v2306/4c/8EkG7hcca7s.png here].]]

[[File:Tumblrtag1.png|thumb|right|Part 1 of a June 1, 2015 screengrab of tumblr posts discussing tagging etiquette. Click twice to see full-size. A complete copy of the 4 part screengrab can be found archived [http://web.archive.org/web/20150602014520/http://pp.screenshotlink.ru/v2306/4c/8EkG7hcca7s.png here].]]

[[File:Tumblrtag2.png|thumb|Part 2 of a June 1, 2015 screengrab of tumblr posts discussing tagging etiquette. Click twice to see full-size. A complete copy of the 4 part screengrab can be found archived [http://web.archive.org/web/20150602014520/http://pp.screenshotlink.ru/v2306/4c/8EkG7hcca7s.png here].]]

[[File:Tumblrtag2.png|thumb|Part 2 of a June 1, 2015 screengrab of tumblr posts discussing tagging etiquette. Click twice to see full-size. A complete copy of the 4 part screengrab can be found archived [http://web.archive.org/web/20150602014520/http://pp.screenshotlink.ru/v2306/4c/8EkG7hcca7s.png here].]]

Like reblogging, tagging posts is a central feature of the tumblr platform. Tumblr uses 'free form' tagging which allows users to create their own custom tags. Tags serve many purposes. Tags allow blog owners to label their posts to locate them later and to allow others to do the same. Tags can also be used to offer additional commentary to a post (whether an original post or a reblog). And finally tags assist other readers in finding - or excluding- content from appearing on their dashboards.

Like reblogging, [[tagging]] posts is a central feature of the tumblr platform. Tumblr uses 'free form' tagging which allows users to create their own custom tags. Tags serve many purposes. Tags allow blog owners to label their posts to locate them later and to allow others to do the same. Tags can also be used to offer additional commentary to a post (whether an original post or a reblog). And finally tags assist other readers in finding - or excluding- content from appearing on their dashboards.

Because fans rely heavily on tags to find content, some people annoyed when two or more series share the same tag, for example the American TV series and [[Kdrama]] [[Lie To Me]], or the [[Avatar: The Last Airbender|animated TV series]] and the [[Avatar (2009 Film)|movie]] Avatar. <ref>{{source| url = http://plazmah.tumblr.com/post/9648185709/when-i-search-avatar-i-want-the-movie-with-the | title = this chick is bananas - When I search Avatar I want the movie with the blue people not the stupid fucking animated show. | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6YyhvFVxI | archivedate = 2015-06-02 }}(Accessed Sept. 1, 2011)</ref>

Because fans rely heavily on tags to find content, some people annoyed when two or more series share the same tag, for example the American TV series and [[Kdrama]] [[Lie To Me]], or the [[Avatar: The Last Airbender|animated TV series]] and the [[Avatar (2009 Film)|movie]] Avatar. <ref>{{source| url = http://plazmah.tumblr.com/post/9648185709/when-i-search-avatar-i-want-the-movie-with-the | title = this chick is bananas - When I search Avatar I want the movie with the blue people not the stupid fucking animated show. | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6YyhvFVxI | archivedate = 2015-06-02 }}(Accessed Sept. 1, 2011)</ref>

Tumblr's terms of service state that one should not include copyrighted material on tumblr without permission. Some fans interpret this to mean they should not upload the content to tumblr's servers, but should instead link to the content where it is sourced. This is the preferred method for many fans for sharing outside fan art on tumblr; however even then it is not without controversy:

Tumblr's terms of service state that one should not include copyrighted material on tumblr without permission. Some fans interpret this to mean they should not upload the content to tumblr's servers, but should instead link to the content where it is sourced. This is the preferred method for many fans for sharing outside fan art on tumblr; however even then it is not without controversy:

{{Quotation|"Linking things from DeviantArt.

{{Quotation|"Linking things from [[DeviantArt]].

It’s not a secret I don’t like people reposting other people’s art here on Tumblr. I find it is gathering notes and fame and glory and likes with the work of someone else.

It’s not a secret I don’t like people reposting other people’s art here on Tumblr. I find it is gathering notes and fame and glory and likes with the work of someone else.

According to some, the problem of unattributed fanart has lessened as more fanartists join Tumblr.<ref>[[fanficrants]]. [http://fanficrants.livejournal.com/10886155.html?thread=355760139&style=mine#t355760139 Tumblr etiquette? Or plagiarism?], comment thread started by etacanis, 18 February 2012. (Accessed 21 February 2012)</ref>

According to some, the problem of unattributed fanart has lessened as more fanartists join Tumblr.<ref>[[fanficrants]]. [http://fanficrants.livejournal.com/10886155.html?thread=355760139&style=mine#t355760139 Tumblr etiquette? Or plagiarism?], comment thread started by etacanis, 18 February 2012. (Accessed 21 February 2012)</ref>

[We need to have info on the recent (spring 2015) take-downs of fan tumblrs re: "copyright"]

{{ExpandArticle|because=We need to have info on the recent (spring 2015) take-downs of fan tumblrs re: "copyright"}}

==Fan Comments About Tumblr==

==Fan Comments About Tumblr==

{{Quotation2|Rue72: Mostly I feel like nothing that I have to say or create is of any interest to current fandom communities; that we've moved even more completely into an "OOOH SHINEY!" instant-gratification kind of place, and that the smaller little weirdo pockets have been squeezed out by whatever the dominant conversation/ship/joke/etc happens to be.

{{Quotation2|Rue72: Mostly I feel like nothing that I have to say or create is of any interest to current fandom communities; that we've moved even more completely into an "OOOH SHINEY!" instant-gratification kind of place, and that the smaller little weirdo pockets have been squeezed out by whatever the dominant conversation/ship/joke/etc happens to be.

Like back in the old [[HP]] fandom days, the community was SO enormous that even relatively tiny ships still felt vibrant and active; and even when I was like one of twenty people to be hardcore invested in an odd slash pairing in the ATLA fandom, we had our own little LJ community and fic challenges and most of us had each others' personal journals friended, and it felt like a cozy and fun and supportive little corner that was sheltered and separated from whatever batshit nonsense was going on in the big "common areas" of the fandom.  

Like back in the old [[Harry Potter|HP]] fandom days, the community was SO enormous that even relatively tiny ships still felt vibrant and active; and even when I was like one of twenty people to be hardcore invested in an odd slash pairing in the ATLA fandom, we had our own little LJ community and fic challenges and most of us had each others' personal journals friended, and it felt like a cozy and fun and supportive little corner that was sheltered and separated from whatever batshit nonsense was going on in the big "common areas" of the fandom.  

Tumblr tags serve that same purpose superficially, but it all feels so fluid and impermanent -- a community assembled by search instead of something deliberately created. It's harder to talk to people on Tumblr. It's harder to have what feels like a permanent history that can be revisited.

Tumblr tags serve that same purpose superficially, but it all feels so fluid and impermanent -- a community assembled by search instead of something deliberately created. It's harder to talk to people on Tumblr. It's harder to have what feels like a permanent history that can be revisited.

{{Quotation2| Tumblr culture has a LOT of serious problems and I'm pretty sure it's self-destructing--but we can't talk, [[LJ]] self-destructed too, and we tore each other apart bloody before we did it. I loved LJ fandom like my own family, but I remember a lot of the same culture of ruling fear and mass bullying that goes on on tumblr from there too--that goes back at least to the 80s and [['zine]] culture, where you even had to be "sponsored" by someone at a con to be taken seriously. We started [[Social Justice|SJ]] on LJ, not tumblr--I remember early iterations going back to around 2002-03, it got serious in around 2007, and became impossible to ignore in 2009. So it had been steadily building up until tumblr got started, and many initially went to tumblr to get AWAY from the constant guiltmongering and finger-pointing. If you recall, [[DREAMWIDTH]] was originally considered the "[[special snowflake]]" haven! My old [[flist]] on LJ was all, "Oh, we'll never move to [[Dreamwidth]], all they care about is talking about disability and alternate sexualities there." Then they all did...or went to tumblr, or focused on their offline lives. My point is, the culture's always had issues, it's always been in flux, it's always cannibalized one community after another because it's never been stable, fandom always aspires to goodness while the means we attempt to reach this end is mostly bullying each other [[Snacky's Law|like the mean girls in high school]], and we always claim the moral high ground while doing this--hell, the [[Godawful Fanfic]] archive in 1998 claimed it was helping the authors it mocked behind their backs with "useful [[crit]]." Everything people are whining about with tumblr is nothing new, but an evolution of the culture we already had, that was already poisoning itself but we were too young and naive and happy to find our tribe to see it. <ref> [http://fail-fandomanon.dreamwidth.org/131867.html?thread=686760731#cmt686760731 fail_fandomanon]; [http://www.webcitation.org/6XdrSShu7 archive link], April 2015 </ref>}}

{{Quotation2| Tumblr culture has a LOT of serious problems and I'm pretty sure it's self-destructing--but we can't talk, [[LJ]] self-destructed too, and we tore each other apart bloody before we did it. I loved LJ fandom like my own family, but I remember a lot of the same culture of ruling fear and mass bullying that goes on on tumblr from there too--that goes back at least to the 80s and [['zine]] culture, where you even had to be "sponsored" by someone at a con to be taken seriously. We started [[Social Justice|SJ]] on LJ, not tumblr--I remember early iterations going back to around 2002-03, it got serious in around 2007, and became impossible to ignore in 2009. So it had been steadily building up until tumblr got started, and many initially went to tumblr to get AWAY from the constant guiltmongering and finger-pointing. If you recall, [[DREAMWIDTH]] was originally considered the "[[special snowflake]]" haven! My old [[flist]] on LJ was all, "Oh, we'll never move to [[Dreamwidth]], all they care about is talking about disability and alternate sexualities there." Then they all did...or went to tumblr, or focused on their offline lives. My point is, the culture's always had issues, it's always been in flux, it's always cannibalized one community after another because it's never been stable, fandom always aspires to goodness while the means we attempt to reach this end is mostly bullying each other [[Snacky's Law|like the mean girls in high school]], and we always claim the moral high ground while doing this--hell, the [[Godawful Fanfic]] archive in 1998 claimed it was helping the authors it mocked behind their backs with "useful [[crit]]." Everything people are whining about with tumblr is nothing new, but an evolution of the culture we already had, that was already poisoning itself but we were too young and naive and happy to find our tribe to see it. <ref> [http://fail-fandomanon.dreamwidth.org/131867.html?thread=686760731#cmt686760731 fail_fandomanon]; [http://www.webcitation.org/6XdrSShu7 archive link], April 2015 </ref>}}

{{Quotation| I also am fascinated by Tumblr culture and how it’s changing fandom and online interactions.  Tumblr has its pros and cons but I love how it allows for rapid creation. For example somebody will make a GIF set and then a bunch of people will write  ficlets and create fanart about it. Or someone will have a meta or a thought, and then a lot of people will respond with images or art or other things. I love this easy multimedia collaboration and the fact that you can end up with all of these different ways to get all of these conversation branches that go interesting places about the same thing. <ref> [[A Birds-Eye View of Fandom -- Destination Toast]] </ref>}}

{{Quotation| I also am fascinated by Tumblr culture and how it’s changing fandom and online interactions.  Tumblr has its pros and cons but I love how it allows for rapid creation. For example somebody will make a [[Gifset|GIF set]] and then a bunch of people will write  ficlets and create fanart about it. Or someone will have a meta or a thought, and then a lot of people will respond with images or art or other things. I love this easy multimedia collaboration and the fact that you can end up with all of these different ways to get all of these conversation branches that go interesting places about the same thing. <ref> [[A Birds-Eye View of Fandom -- Destination Toast]] </ref>}}

{{Quotation2|Here is a thing that you could do in zines, and mailing lists, and Usenet, and bulletin boards, and Livejournal, and Dreamwidth. I'm talking 50 years of fandom there.

{{Quotation2|Here is a thing that you could do in zines, and mailing lists, and Usenet, and bulletin boards, and Livejournal, and Dreamwidth. I'm talking 50 years of fandom there.

{{Quotation| This has a lot of great points! And it’s a lot of the frustration I have felt on Tumblr. There aren’t conversations in reblogs, for instance, not really. Depending on the fandom, certain power users dictate a lot of the content – what is relevant, important, interesting, funny – simply by virtue of following certain people and reblogging certain posts. There’s no malicious intent behind it, of course, but the cliqueish nature of Tumblr closes conversations many times, and creates a sense of power imbalance between power users/”Big Name Fans”. I think this imbalance is possibly much greater than on other sites I’ve used, to be honest.  

{{Quotation| This has a lot of great points! And it’s a lot of the frustration I have felt on Tumblr. There aren’t conversations in reblogs, for instance, not really. Depending on the fandom, certain power users dictate a lot of the content – what is relevant, important, interesting, funny – simply by virtue of following certain people and reblogging certain posts. There’s no malicious intent behind it, of course, but the cliqueish nature of Tumblr closes conversations many times, and creates a sense of power imbalance between power users/”Big Name Fans”. I think this imbalance is possibly much greater than on other sites I’ve used, to be honest.  

Another thing about Tumblr: visuals are always privileged over text. You could write a beautiful fic or meta and post it, but it will never ever get the same amount of reblogs as a picture or .gif set. Never. Even if you put in the same amount of work – sometimes more – as someone who has posted a gif set. The only way text posts usually get many reblogs is if they are sort. A whole paragraph is often too long.  

Another thing about Tumblr: visuals are always privileged over text. You could write a beautiful fic or meta and post it, but it will never ever get the same amount of reblogs as a picture or [[Gifset|.gif set]]. Never. Even if you put in the same amount of work – sometimes more – as someone who has posted a gif set. The only way text posts usually get many reblogs is if they are sort. A whole paragraph is often too long.  

Tumblr is a micro-blogging service, which means it was never meant for sustained anything. Ideally a post should be short, simple, and to the point. Hence another reason text posts and conversations wouldn’t take off here, but pictures and visuals thrive. But it also further subordinates the value of text, and the value of conversation via text.

Tumblr is a micro-blogging service, which means it was never meant for sustained anything. Ideally a post should be short, simple, and to the point. Hence another reason text posts and conversations wouldn’t take off here, but pictures and visuals thrive. But it also further subordinates the value of text, and the value of conversation via text.

On the other hand, you have to work harder to form actual relationships with other users. I think this is a good thing. In order to learn about people and have more substantive conversations, you have to move beyond placidly reblogging and following whoever is popular, and into writing asks, sending messages, exchanging emails and what-have-you. When you have to proactive I find that kind of relationship more valuable simply because 95 % of the people who follow you and vice versa won’t be interacting on that level.  <ref> reply by [[mresundance]] to the fail_fandomanon comment: {{source| url = http://mresundance.tumblr.com/post/136055016412/why-im-still-posting-to-livejournal-and | title =  Why I'm Still Posting to Livejournal and Dreamwidth | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6e7AiaJnO | archivedate = 2015-12-28 }}, December 27, 2015 </ref>}}}}

On the other hand, you have to work harder to form actual relationships with other users. I think this is a good thing. In order to learn about people and have more substantive conversations, you have to move beyond placidly reblogging and following whoever is popular, and into writing asks, sending messages, exchanging emails and what-have-you. When you have to proactive I find that kind of relationship more valuable simply because 95 % of the people who follow you and vice versa won’t be interacting on that level.  <ref> reply by [[mresundance]] to the fail_fandomanon comment: {{source| url = http://mresundance.tumblr.com/post/136055016412/why-im-still-posting-to-livejournal-and | title =  Why I'm Still Posting to Livejournal and Dreamwidth | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6e7AiaJnO | archivedate = 2015-12-28 }}, December 27, 2015 </ref>}}}}

I think the age thing is also a factor. With LJ, you could make things “no one under 13″ and “no one under 18.” I mean sure we all lied about our ages but the attempt was there, the expectation that truly young kids wouldn’t read your smut was there. On tumblr, you have no idea who’s following you, who stumbles across your post. All you can do here is make a post saying “if you’re underage please unfollow me” but that does jack shit unless the people following you actually do that.  

I think the age thing is also a factor. With LJ, you could make things “no one under 13″ and “no one under 18.” I mean sure we all lied about our ages but the attempt was there, the expectation that truly young kids wouldn’t read your smut was there. On tumblr, you have no idea who’s following you, who stumbles across your post. All you can do here is make a post saying “if you’re underage please unfollow me” but that does jack shit unless the people following you actually do that.  

Also I think fanfic is used less to shock and horrify and more to entertain and just be generally good writing. Which I’m honestly ok with, the “read this Dobby/Squid fic omg!” trend seems to have gone away. I still have non-fandom friends who think of fanfic as something gross or ridiculous, who will never see it as a legitimate fan practice, because of shit like that. Someone showed them a fic to shock them, and now they think all fanfic is like that. <ref> reblogs at [http://www.webcitation.org/6dR4Lwbwp pepepegle.tumblr] </ref>}}}}

Also I think fanfic is used less to shock and horrify and more to entertain and just be generally good writing. Which I’m honestly ok with, the “read this [[Dobby]]/[[Hogwarts Giant Squid|Squid]] fic omg!” trend seems to have gone away. I still have non-fandom friends who think of fanfic as something gross or ridiculous, who will never see it as a legitimate fan practice, because of shit like that. Someone showed them a fic to shock them, and now they think all fanfic is like that. <ref> reblogs at [http://www.webcitation.org/6dR4Lwbwp pepepegle.tumblr] </ref>}}}}

===2016===

===2016===