January 8, 2026
Filtered out, drama floods in
Tumblr removed from Apple App Store over abuse images (2018)
Apple yanks Tumblr; users cry “double standard” on X
TLDR: Apple removed Tumblr after abuse images slipped past filters, and Tumblr says it’s fixing moderation to get reinstated. Comments roast Apple’s alleged double standards, comparing Tumblr’s punishment to X’s lenient treatment and debating how platforms—and browsers—should handle illegal and deepfake content consistently.
Tumblr’s app was pulled from Apple’s store after illegal child abuse images slipped past filters—Tumblr says the pics weren’t in the industry database and were later caught in an audit. Serious stuff. But the comments? A bonfire of outrage and eye-rolls at what many see as tech’s favorite game: selective enforcement.
Top mood: “So Tumblr gets the boot, but X gets a hug?” Users point to reports about X’s AI tool “Grok” being abused to generate toxic content, asking why Apple hits Tumblr hard while X stays cozy in prime app real estate. One commenter even dragged iOS browsers into it: if you can see awful stuff anywhere on the web, why is Tumblr singled out?
Another spicy thread: deepfake porn laws. People say X is enabling content that’s illegal across many states, so why the VIP pass? The platform drama escalated fast with memes—Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man, “this is fine” dog sitting in moderation fire—and snark about “App Store Hunger Games.”
Tumblr insists re-listing is a priority and reminds everyone that moderating huge platforms is messy. The crowd’s split between “good, safety first” and “Apple’s rules are vibes-based.” Either way, the community is screaming: consistency, please.
Key Points
- •Apple removed the Tumblr iOS app on 16 November 2018 due to child sexual abuse images on the platform.
- •Tumblr said its filters check uploads against a database of known CSAM and delete matches.
- •The offending images were not in the industry database, so filters failed to catch them.
- •Tumblr discovered the illegal content during a routine audit and immediately removed it.
- •Tumblr aims to have the app re-listed, and has previously faced content-related actions in Indonesia and scrutiny from South Korea.