Tumblr is a New York-based microblogging social media platform that was founded in 2007. The number of users on Tumblr plummeted by 100 million, yes, that’s 100 million fewer users since the outright ban on adult content. In 2023 Tumblr is home to 518.7 million blogs.
Before you decide to take the plunge to delete your Tumblr account and all associated blog posts there are a few things that you need to know. Mainly so that you can make sure your data is backed up and if privacy is an issue, that you have weighed up all of your options.
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Why Tumblr Is Bad/Toxic
Tumblr in and of itself isn’t necessarily bad, it is neutral – a benign piece of software. But there are some huge shifts that have altered the way that Tumblr works which has ruffled the feathers of some of the Tumblr members. It used to be a microblogging platform where you had the freedom to do or say anything. This all changed when the owners made the decision to ban porn and all adult content on the social media site.
In 2016, Tumblr got hacked and the legacy of being hacked and sharing user information has been long-lived. Last year there was another hole in their security system reported. They also show images that glorify suffering and depression to teens and present a false sense of community. Feeling that a virtual community understands you more than the people around you can be dangerous and isolating to teenagers.
Some people argue that Tumblr has been unfairly reduced to a site that is mainly for porn. While others feel that it has been a place for people who feel marginalized to speak out. The policy change is seen by some to infringe on free speech.
Privacy Issues With Tumblr
In 2018 Tumblr publicly announced that they had found a glitch in their system that had the potential to expose users data. They say that this could have resulted in usernames/ passwords, user data and IP addresses being obtained by hackers. Thankfully that bug has now been fixed.
This is frightening and a big breach of members privacy. To overcome this bug and other security glitches in apps owned by other social media channels then a VPN can be installed cheaply or even for free.
A VPN will protect your data by encrypting it, which basically means that your information won’t be readable by a human – you need a sophisticated computer for that. Some VPNs like NordVPN use advanced double encryption and other protocols to protect you from bugs like the one that was found on Tumblr. What’s more, when using a VPN your IP address will be hidden and therefore inaccessible to hackers.
Why Did iOS Ban Tumblr?
Tumblr was completely removed from the app store due to child pornography being shown on the platform. This was part of a larger initiative from Apple to sanitize the apps on its app store.
It doesn’t matter why you want to delete your Tumblr account, the thing is that you want to delete it – and FAST. You’ll need to make sure that it’s done correctly. Many people delete one section of their Tumblr profile and leave others mistakenly.
This article will quickly guide you through a step-by-step process to quickly and effectively delete your Tumblr account.
Firstly – Make Sure You’re Sure
Once you have deleted your Tumblr account there is no going back. You can’t restore it or access your blog URL because it will instantly be recycled.
The way that it works with Tumblr is they run a system of primary and secondary blogs. Your “primary blog” is your profile section. “Secondary blogs” are groups.
You’ll use your primary blog (profile) to join other people’s groups and you can invite people to join your group (secondary blog). Once you have deleted your primary blog then you’ll automatically be thrown out of all of your groups on Tumblr. So make sure that you want to do this before committing.
Backup Your Tumblr Blogs
If you have decided that you definitely want to delete your Tumblr account, you still have the option to backup your blogs. Bear in mind that the system can take up to a month to process your request. You don’t need to do this step, but I added it in as it’s an option that you might like to take advantage of.
You can request to download your blogs by following these steps:
- STEP 1 – Go to the Privacy Dashboard and select “Download Your Data”.
- STEP 2 – Tap on “Request a Download” and highlight all of the blogs you wish to download
- STEP 3 – Your download will now be prepared. Tap “Next” and input your email address, where they’ll let you know when your download is ready.
- (It can take up to 30 days for you to receive your data)
- STEP 4 – You will be informed when your data is ready. When you get this notification then go to your privacy dashboard and go to “Download your data” and select “Your download requests”
- STEP 5 – You can then select download and your data will download to your pc in JSON.
How To Delete A Secondary Tumblr Blog
If you simply want to delete your secondary blog (or one of them) then follow these easy steps.
For iOS/ Android
- Step 1 – Tap the person (account) icon
- Step 2 – Choose the blog you want to delete from the list
- Step 3 – On iOS swipe left and hit delete. On Android tap the settings (gear) icon and select “Delete this Tumblr”.
On Your PC or Browser
- Step 1 – Login to Tumblr
- Step 2 – Select “Settings” on the dashboard.
- Step 3 – Choose the blog you wish to delete
- Step 4 – Tap “delete blog”
Your secondary blog should now be deleted. This will not affect your primary blog or account settings.
How to Permanently Delete Your Tumblr Account
IMPORTANT: You’ll need to go to a web browser on your pc or device to delete your main Tumblr account
- STEP 1 – Login to your Tumblr account via the web browser
- STEP 2 – Click account (person) icon top right and select settings from the dropdown
- STEP 3 – Scroll down to the very bottom of the page and tap “delete account” button
- STEP 4 – Confirm you want to delete your account by filling in your login details once more and then hitting the red “Delete Everything” button.
- STEP 5 – Finally agree to Tumblrs terms of service before your account is officially deleted for good.
The Bottom Line
If security is the main concern, then consider installing a VPN to protect yourself online. A VPN can also be used on your phone (or tablet/ smartTV) so that you can use apps like Tumblr without being vulnerable to hacking.
The choice to delete Tumblr or any other social media account is one that is personal and you can do easily by following the simple steps in this article. Remember to download your data if you have blogs that you’d like to keep by following the steps in the “Backup Your Tumblr Blogs” above.