Let’s talk about sharing information on the Internet. Some of y’all don’t seem to know basic Internet safety, and it shows. In the last two days, I have witnessed seven different blogs become the target of bullies, and what do they have in common? They have DNIs that include their triggers. Hell, even I listed mine at one point. While including those may seem like a good idea at first for followers so that they can tag continent that is particularly triggering toward you, it is a double-edged sword. Let us use an example.
You have snakes as a trigger warning. Your mutuals know to tag posts that include snakes so you can filter them. But the second that someone doesn’t like you, the moment you do something to piss them off, they can use that information to hurt you. Suddenly, your inbox is full of images of snakes. Even if you have anon turned off, it is so easy to make another Tumblr blog that isn’t blocked and you can simply dump shit on.
Another common thread between these blogs is that many of them had other social media accounts linked such as Instagram, which uses the location of their users when tagging photos. Boom. They have your location. And if you are a minor, you become a target of creeps. This is exactly what happened to a blog I was made aware of because it was getting so much anon hate and being doxxed.
Even though I have an extensive DNI, I am starting to wonder if they do more harm than good. If someone is pissed off at you, do you think they’re going to go to your do not interact and make sure it’s OK for them to send it to you? I have been explicit in saying that anon hate doesn’t mean anything to me unless it is said to my face, and yet I receive many anon hates a day. I am almost 26. I have dealt with bullying my entire life. That stuff doesn’t phase me, but when I joined Tumblr and I was around 16, and someone sent me anon hate, I would crumble.
Speaking of age, this is for minors: do not include your age. If you must, just state that you are a minor. Some people will act differently towards someone who is almost 18 as opposed to a 15 year old. If you include your zodiac signs, both western and Chinese, someone can pinpoint your general birthdate. It’s not smart.
So why do I care? Because after 10 years on this hellsite, I have seen a lot, and I would like to think that I have learned something. And as someone who has dealt with private security in a sense, I am increasingly concerned. It is not the fault of individuals who share private information when it is used against them. That is entirely on an abuser. But it does make it a hell of a lot easier.
Tumblr is horrible with its anti-bullying policy. Tumblr will not take down anon hate or go after people who send death threats. They don’t care. I wish that using anonymous was a privilege, and it was something that could be taken away. There should be more safety measures and reprimands for people who pull this shit. But until then, we can only try to be safe on our own.
For more unsolicited Tumblr vet advice, see my #tumblrvetadvice tag.
