Tumblr returns to App Store after porn ban Published duration 14 December 2018

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Social network Tumblr is back on Apple's app store after pledging to remove adult content from the platform.

Tumblr was removed from the app store in November after child abuse images were found to have slipped through its content filters.

The social network then said it would ban adult content completely from 17 December.

However, the move has angered many people who said they used the platform as a way to express their sexuality.

"There are no shortage of sites on the internet that feature adult content," said Jeff D'Onofrio, Tumblr's chief executive, when the decision was announced.

Its new guidelines prohibit any depiction of human genitalia, female nipples or sex acts, including illustrations. There will be exceptions for classical artistic works and political protests that involve nudity, but the company has warned that enforcement may be inconsistent.

It will provide new reporting tools and people will also be able to appeal if their content is blocked.

However, many Tumblr users have warned they will leave the site completely and have exported a copy of their blog before it is "purged" of adult content.

Many have also expressed disappointment that Tumblr only gave them two weeks' notice of the changes, making archiving efforts difficult.