This morning, I created a new Tumblr account as part of an experiment to test a Tumblr function not related to the issue I'm about to describe.
Keep in mind the last (& only) time I've created a Tumblr account was more than a decade ago, when I created @deadbranch.
While creating a new account, I learned some things that changed the way I see ageless/bot-like blogs:
Tumblr gives a list of suggested usernames, none of which contain numbers, and some sound really clever. So if you see an account with numbers in it, I suspect it's not a bot, it's a url someone wanted despite already being used by another account so they added numbers.
Tumblr forces new accounts to immediatly follow at least 3 existing blogs. In the previous screen it requires the user to choose at least 4 tags to follow, then on the next screen it suggests a handful of the most popular blogs for each tag chosen on the previous tags.
Since the new user likely knows NO ONE prior to setup, they are compelled to immediately follow 3 big blogs they don't know (from Tumblr's list of suggestions) before they get a chance to revise their pfp, background, or add their age to bio.
After they've verified their email & they've gotten through the intimidating set up process, they are NOT directed by Tumblr to edit anything about their blog. They're left to their own devices in regard to what they should do next. They likely go straight to scrolling, searching, and liking like one would do on X, Tiktok, or IG.
Because of this new knowledge, I will no longer assume a n00bish looking blog is a bot or a child.