FORCED HIATUS NOTICE UNTIL TUMBLR GETS ITS SHIT TOGETHER
Given the shitty change Tumblr implemented yesterday that turns reblog chains into quote-retweets where very single reblog with an added commentary steals all further reblog and like notifications from the OP, I've decided to put this blog on a forced hiatus.
If you are not familiar with the shitty new change I am talking about, visit the @staff blog and you'll see. Make sure to also visit @changes to voice your disagreement over this new feature. Don't just comment on their posts. Send feedback. Send emails. Send strongly worded letters.
I love Tumblr and I love running this blog. I love finding great posts (many of which are the result of funny, witty, or beautiful reblog chains) and reblogging them, but due to this new change, until reblogging and engaging with posts stops actively driving away engagement from their original creators, I'm going to stop doing it. This new change is a fundamental betrayal of one of the core Tumblr functions that have kept me on this site for... fuck, 15 years. It kills the "yes, and..." culture that makes Tumblr unique and also one of the reasons we are still here. And it gets worse, because this new change isn't just engagement theft, it also puts creators in increased danger by making them lose track of what other people are saying on their own posts. By disconnecting the OP from further additions to their posts by other users, this change encourages the wrong kind of engagement, disingenuous and vapid clout-chasing, and benefits only those with ill intentions since they will be able to harass or spread toxicity or misinformation without the OP's knowledge within a couple steps of a reblog chain. I have no desire to encourage such practices, hence... forced hiatus.
This shitty new change is a painful and merciless way to kill a core, unique, and beloved Tumblr mechanic. Knowing that adding a funny commentary, relevant addition, or blog gimmick will steal all further notes from the original poster will actively discourage people from engaging with posts. Moving jokes and conversations to the replies section won't work either, since this new change also fragments replies, and you will only be able to see the replies of the reblog you are replying from.
As a heritage posts blog, I know I could still keep reblogging posts without adding my usual commentary and simply relegate my gimmick to a tag. However, I want Tumblr to revert this change, and therefore, I believe that besides complaining and making our displeasure known, driving this site's engagement down is the second best way to send a message. That I won't be posting doesn't mean I won't still be here, so if you have any posts you believe worthy of this blog, keep sending them my way, and they will stay in my drafts until this new change is rolled back and I resume posting.
I don't know what choice other gimmick blogs will make. I don't think there is just one right way to deal with this mess, but this is the choice I am making. If you know of any other gimmick blogs wondering what to do, feel free to send them this post, or @ ing me so I can see the choices others are making.
Lastly, given the RETROACTIVE NATURE of this shitty new feature, I encourage all users that come across posts I have reblogged in the past to please REBLOG THEM DIRECTLY FROM OP'S BLOG until this new change is hopefully rolled back
Edit: yes I just saw they will be rolling in back, yaaay!
