Tumblr offers some strong transparency and user controls, including prior policy versions, export tools, deletion settings, and some ad opt-outs. But the overall posture is still fairly user-unfriendly due to broad public-by-default sharing, advertising-related data sharing, sweeping liability limits, unilateral service changes, and strong discretion to suspend accounts or end paid access.
Tumblr is a public social platform with ad-supported personalization. Its terms are relatively transparent and include helpful account deletion and data export tools, but they also give Tumblr broad control to change or suspend the service, a wide license over public content, auto-renewing subscriptions, extensive liability limits, and broad data sharing with affiliates, analytics, marketing, and ad partners.
Points of interest
Posts and many actions like likes, reblogs, and replies are public unless you explicitly use private tools. Public content may be indexed by search engines and can persist through reblogs even after deletion.
"By default, all sharing through the Services is public... Content published and shared publicly is accessible to everyone, including search engines"
You keep ownership of your posts, but Tumblr gets a worldwide, transferable, sublicensable license to host, display, adapt, distribute, and create derivatives needed for the service. The license can continue after you stop using Tumblr, especially for public content already shared socially.
"vous accordez à Tumblr un droit et une licence non exclusifs, pour le territoire du monde, à titre gracieux, pouvant faire l'objet d'une sous-licence et transférable"
Tumblr shares identifiers, device activity, IP-based location, and similar data with advertising, marketing, and analytics partners. In some US states, Tumblr acknowledges this sharing may legally count as a 'sale' or 'share.'
"In some US states, this data sharing may be considered a “sale.”"
The service is provided 'as is,' many claims are capped at $100 or what you paid, and you must bring claims within one year. This can sharply limit your practical remedies if Tumblr causes harm or loses access to your content or purchases.
"LA RESPONSABILITÉ TOTALE DE TUMBLR... NE DÉPASSERA PAS LA SOMME DE CENT DOLLARS (100,00 USD)"
You can download a personal data report and export the content you posted. This is a meaningful portability feature for users who want a copy of their data before leaving.
"you can download a personal data report... You can also download/export a copy of the content you post to Tumblr"
Tumblr can change features, impose limits, suspend content or accounts, or discontinue services at its discretion, sometimes without notice. This creates stability risk, including for paid features.
"Tumblr peut à tout moment modifier, suspendre ou supprimer tout ou partie des Services... ou suspendre des Comptes à tout moment"
Disputes generally must be brought in state or federal court in New York County under New York law. That can make claims harder or more expensive for users elsewhere.
"toute réclamation ou litige... soit résolue exclusivement par une juridiction d'État ou une juridiction fédérale située dans le comté de New York"
Subscriptions renew automatically and charge your saved payment method until canceled. You must cancel at least 14 days before the renewal date to avoid the next charge, which is less consumer-friendly than same-cycle cancellation.
"Vous devez résilier la Souscription au moins 14 jours avant la fin de votre Période de Souscription actuelle afin d'éviter d'être facturé"
Paid services are licensed, revocable, generally final and nonrefundable, and may become inaccessible if your account is suspended. That reduces ownership expectations for digital purchases.
"Les achats de Services Payants sont définitifs et non remboursables... si votre compte venait à être suspendu, vous perdriez votre licence"
Tumblr lets you delete your account from account settings at any time. It also clearly warns that backups, caches, and reblogs may remain, which is more transparent than many services.
"If you want to delete your Account, you can do so from your Account Settings"
Users in some regions can opt out of personalized ads and adjust privacy settings, and Tumblr says it honors the Global Privacy Control browser signal. That gives users a meaningful way to reduce some advertising-related data use.
"We also respect the GPC browser signal and will treat it as a valid means of communicating your desire to opt out"
Tumblr says it publishes prior versions of its terms and privacy policy, making it easier to see what changed over time. That is a useful transparency practice.
"Nous prendrons également l'habitude de publier les versions précédentes des CGU"
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Documents
Terms of Service
source ↗- •You must meet Tumblr’s minimum age requirements, provide accurate account information, keep your password secure, and stop using the service if you reject updated terms.
- •Tumblr can change features, set usage limits, suspend content or accounts, or end services at any time, sometimes without notice.
- •You keep ownership of content you post, but grant Tumblr a worldwide, transferable license to host, display, distribute, adapt, analyze, and share public content.
- •You must follow the Community Guidelines, respect others’ intellectual property, and avoid scraping, unauthorized automated access, security testing, spam, or service interference.
- •Tumblr collects, uses, shares, and may transfer your information to the United States and other countries as described in its Privacy Policy.
- •Paid services are limited, revocable licenses; prices may change, purchases are generally final and nonrefundable, and losing your account can end access to them.
- •Subscriptions renew automatically and charge your saved payment method until canceled, and you must cancel at least 14 days before renewal to avoid the next charge.
- •Tumblr provides the service and content “as is,” disclaims most warranties, limits liability, caps many claims at $100 or amounts paid, and requires claims within one year.
- •Disputes are governed by New York law and usually must be brought in state or federal court in New York County, unless otherwise agreed.
- •Tumblr has a DMCA copyright process for takedown notices and counter-notices, and may terminate accounts for repeated copyright infringement.
Privacy Policy
source ↗- •Tumblr collects account details, age, email, content, device and browser data, IP address, location, contacts you upload, and activity on the service.
- •Posts, likes, reblogs, replies, follows, and other actions are public by default and may appear in search engines or remain online through reblogs.
- •Tumblr uses your information to run the service, personalize content, target ads, improve features, prevent fraud, and support safety and legal compliance.
- •Tumblr shares information with Automattic affiliates, service providers, analytics and marketing partners, payment processors, advertising partners, and authorities when required or justified.
- •Tumblr does not store your full payment card details; its payment processor stores them, while Tumblr may keep a payment token and card last four digits.
- •You can opt out of many promotional emails, personalized ads in some regions, and certain cookie or consent settings through privacy settings or device controls.
- •Tumblr says it protects accounts with passwords and other security measures, but it cannot guarantee complete security against unauthorized access or failures.
- •You can download a personal data report, export your content, and delete your account, but backups, cached data, and reblogs may remain.
- •Tumblr keeps your information while needed for the service, your active account, legal obligations, dispute resolution, or enforcing agreements.
- •Residents of certain US states and Canada may have additional rights, including access, correction, deletion, appeal, consent withdrawal, and in Quebec, data portability.
