Tumblr filters searches with ‘torrent’

Tumblr has stopped returning searches for the term “torrent” since last week. The term has been added to the ‘adult filter’. It is unclear why the term ‘offensive’ has been banned.

Via the Google integrated search function for Tumblr, searches with the term ‘torrent’ still yield results, but on the site itself nothing can be found by default with the keyword, Torrentfreak noted. Only when the safe mode is turned off, Tumblr still shows ‘torrent’ results. Also messages with the tag ‘torrent’ can no longer be found.

The term may have been banned because it is frequently used in combination with offensive content by the microblogging service. However, due to the promotion, a lot of legitimate content can no longer be found. The ban follows reports from Tumblr users that the number of takedowns for copyright infringement has risen sharply.

Users can be banned after three warnings, but until last week the service was barely there, according to Torrentfreak again. It is not known whether the enforcement of that policy and the filtering of ‘torrent’ messages are related.