I have to speak up on why tumblr’s new feature is not a tool for us to earn money, and could potentially be dangerous for the way we create and share on tumblr.
First off, tumblr isn’t doing it to create a way for us to make money – it’s a way for tumblr to make more money, they’re interested in their own cut of it, and if it works, the content made for pay will be highly encouraged and prioritized in comparison to our regular posting.
They’re incentivizing poor people to create content to be consumed by the rich. This will disable us from making any meaningful activism or social movement, or even spreading social awareness, because there will be pressure to make money off of it, and the only way is to cater to the ones who have money they can carelessly spend on tumblr.
Most of us don’t have that. Most of us are poor, marginalized, struggling, and we’re using tumblr to connect and support each other, to create friendships, to create a safe social circle, to raise awareness, to spread activism for our own human rights. We’re making content for each other, and to create a better space for us to exist in the society. We’re making this content for us. Once it’s on the market to be sold, it will not be sold to us. It will no longer be for us. And if tumblr finds it’s a possibility to create money out of our content being sold to the rich – all other content will lose priority. Only content that generates profit will be promoted and encouraged. Our social awareness, our connections and mutual support, sharing resources and free entertainment, it will all be thrown under the bus because it will not be bringing in money. We will be discouraged from saying anything that doesn’t invite a paying audience.
Don’t use the new feature. Don’t support the people who do. Respond to tumblr’s survey with negative feedback, and suggest to install an option for volountary donations or a tip jar instead. Don’t allow them to nullify our activism by pushing us to make a profit off of it.
You have a voice online, for as long as you don’t sell it.
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If I could know you
But only for one second really know you
I’d turn your scars into stars
And light up the sky, let them see who you are
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