Every online community follows a standard of ethics and guidelines decided upon by that community. Any violation of these standards can easily metastasize and spread, eventually killing the community. Tumblr - as many of you all would agree - is not only a way you can blog and express yourself, but is a vibrant community of ideas, art, news, politics, and humor. It is vibrant and alive because the users of Tumblr have a high standard of use: give credit where credit is due. While some are better at maintaining to this standard, the community on Tumblr more-or-less understands that the life of the community relies on maintaining the social media heart.
Except 9gag. 9gag has made a business model in taking from the community and not giving anything back. 9gag does not cite. 9gag does not link. 9gag does not care. It is not in 9gag’s interests to enrich the discourse happening over Tumblr. Rather, it is to profit - therein by poisoning the well.
