Topics
late
AI
Amazon
Image Credits:Hieu Vu Minh/Unsplash (modified by TechCrunch)
Apps
Biotech & Health
mood
Image Credits:Hieu Vu Minh/Unsplash (modified by TechCrunch)
Cloud Computing
Commerce
Crypto
Enterprise
EVs
Fintech
Fundraising
Gadgets
gage
Government & Policy
ironware
Layoffs
Media & Entertainment
Meta
Microsoft
privateness
Robotics
Security
Social
infinite
startup
TikTok
Transportation
Venture
More from TechCrunch
event
Startup Battlefield
StrictlyVC
Podcasts
picture
Partner Content
TechCrunch Brand Studio
Crunchboard
adjoin Us
Matt Mullenweg , chief executive officer of Tumblr owner Automattic , is supposed to be on sabbatic . Instead , he ’s argue with Tumblr users over an individual content moderation determination , which has sparked communitywide yell and accusal of transphobia .
Over the last few day , the situation step up to the point that Mullenweg has employ with the user in inquiry onother platformsand shared private details about her chronicle in public .
The controversy began when a user with the web log name predstrogen was banned . Before the Bachelor of Arts in Nursing , she was frustrate with Tumblr because the platform break to take legal action when she reported that she was being targeted with transmisogynistic harassment . This led her to place that she hop that the CEO “ die a forever abominable death require a car covered in hammers that explodes more than a few times and hammers go flying everywhere . ”
concord to Mullenweg , predstrogen was banned for post that threatened violence against Tumblr staff , and specifically cited the “ forever painful expiry ” military post . He also claim that her dress transition pic were not what succumb adult subject intrusion .
“ We generally do not comment on individual cases , but because there seems to be aggregate misinformation around this , I will make an exception and comment on predstrogen , ” he wrote on his blog , photomatt . He added , “ Tumblr has a number of LGBT+ include trans mass on staff , and they see things from the inside fully , and they ’re not resist this case . ”
Some users say that Mullenweg was overreacting , as the speech communication is so cartoonish that it could n’t be take seriously . But Mullenweg take the post as a threat .
“ terror of wildness are never okay . threat of violence are not protected talking to , ” he pen on his blog . “ We will work with police and FBI where appropriate , though to be percipient predstrogen ’s case has n’t warrant that so far . I ’m referring to what we may potentially do for other threats . ”
Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
Tumblr did not respond to petition for remark .
Mullenweg took the argument off political platform to X , where hecommentedon a post from the exploiter who was banned on Tumblr . Then , onone of his Tumblr C. W. Post , Mullenweg shared numerous of her side blog names , which is not public information ( Tumblr drug user often make empty side blog with no content in parliamentary procedure to squat on URLs ) .
“ On the adult content mistagging , I added context to say it has nothing to do with cloak transition photos , she had 20 + other blogs and multiple accounts with name so denotative I ca n’t post them here without a ripe tag , ” Mullenweg write , then listing some of the accounts by name .
Aside from Elon Musk since he took over Twitter ( now X ) , it ’s rare to see the CEO of social platforms comment directly on single subject matter moderateness decisions . It ’s even more uncommon for those CEOs to deal private information about that drug user ’s history .
Bluesky faced a similar situation last year , but it played out in anopposite manner . One user read that they hope a spectacular Black user would get pushed off of “ somewhere veridical high . ” In that vitrine , Bluesky ’s team decide it was n’t a legitimate death threat , which strained the burgeoning chopine ’s relationship with its shameful users .
“ Wisely or not , many people use red imagination when they ’re arguing or discharge , ” Bluesky CEO Jay Graberpostedat the clock time . “ We deliberate whether a ‘ death menace ’ needs to be specific and direct to cause trauma , and what it would think for hoi polloi ’s power to lock in heated discussions on Bluesky if we forbid this kind of manner of speaking . ”
When juxtaposed , these two temperance decision show the difficulty that platforms have in reach decisions about certain types of speech . While Bluesky hold that getting shoved from “ somewhere real high ” is hyperbolic , Tumblr decided that “ a forever painful death involving a railroad car cover in hammers that explode more than a few times and hammers go flying everywhere ” is a sound menace .
Tumblr is in an extended downward spiral . Tumblr was acquire by Yahoo ( now TechCrunch ’s parent company ) for $ 1 billion in 2013 , but the platform fight to the point that Automattic grease one’s palms Tumblr for just $ 3 million in 2019 . Last year , Mullenweg said that the weapons platform loses $ 30 million each year , and later , hereassignedthe majority of Tumblr ’s faculty to other project inside of Automattic . But no one on the reliance and safety squad was reassigned , so these relief decisions in all probability were n’t impacted by the company shake - up . However , Tumblr has a bad track record for content moderation conclusion , especially those involve trans people .
“ We did have an external contract moderator last year that was making transphobic moderation ( and also selling moderation , reprehensively ) , ” Mullenweg write on his blog . “ As soon as we were aware that mortal was fired , and we later terminated the full relationship with that contracting firm and have bring almost everything in - house ( at great cost ) . ”
Mullenweg pin a Wiley Post to his Tumblr titled “ My Beliefs and Principles , ” where he plow the claims that he is transphobic . He is currently on sabbatical until May .
Tumblr is losing $ 30 M each year , CEO aver
Bluesky ’s grow pains strain its relationship with dim user