Tumblr, the blogging site with a history of multiple acquisitions, has now launched its “Communities” feature in open beta, as announced by the Tumblr Labs division. This new feature represents a significant shift for the platform under the guidance of its latest parent company, Automattic, the creators of WordPress.com.
Communities provide a dedicated space where Tumblr users can connect over shared interests, distinct from the platform’s main dashboard. This development comes six months after the feature was initially made available in closed beta.
The structure of these Communities is “semi-private,” featuring individual moderators, distinct rules, and specific privacy settings tailored to each community. This model is somewhat akin to subreddits on Reddit or Communities on X (formerly Twitter), platforms which also emphasize user-driven content curation and community engagement. Like these platforms, Tumblr’s Communities are poised to serve as nurturing grounds for a diverse range of interests and discussions, further enriched by the potential applications of AI in these settings.
Users interested in creating their own community on Tumblr can now apply to be added to a waitlist. According to Tumblr Labs, the waitlist already boasts over 5,800 communities eager to establish their own niche within the platform. The company has committed to processing these requests expediently to expand user participation in this new feature.
Tumblr started testing Communities in response to user feedback requesting improved avenues for connecting with individuals who share similar interests. With this new feature, instead of searching for blogs about a topic, users can join a community focused on that topic to find content they like.
For example, a Community could be centered around fans of a particular TV show, music artist, or book series, providing a dedicated space for discussion and interaction. Additionally, Communities could cater to more specific groups such as school friends, book clubs, or other personal interest groups.
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