Tumblr has created a policy against blogs that promote self-harm, suicide, and especially eating disorders to curb the inundation of content promoting self-injury seen on The Web. This type of content includes the following among others: "thinspiration" (images, quotes, songs, and other media that inspire disordered, destructive behaviors and thoughts centered on unhealthy weight loss and self-hate), pro-ana (the promotion of Anorexia Nervosa as a choice, a lifestyle, something desirable or positive), pro-mia (the promotion of Bulimia Nervosa with the aforementioned attributes), pro-eating-disorder "tips and tricks" (users give out pointers for others that teach others how to "better" their eating disordered thoughts and behaviors - these tips and tricks range from a how-to in easy modes to self-induce vomiting to how to hide the effects of an eating disorder or eating disordered behaviors from parents, friends, etc.), and self-harm tips and tricks (these tips range from methods for concealing scars to lists of instruments to use that inflict more damage).

Tumblr Inc.'s efforts to put a stop to the promotion of self-injury is laudable and absolutely necessary, however this policy has lead to the cancellation of the blogs of users who simply struggle with mental illness - primarily eating disorders - yet do not engage in the promotion of self-harm whatsoever. One particular user is Maira Cortez whose original blog (missmairaisabel.tumblr.com) was deleted because Tumblr Inc. claimed that her content promoted eating disorders and self-harm. After Maira and countless others appealed to Tumblr Inc., demonstrating that nothing about her blog promote harm, the blogging service reneged on its previous decision, conceding that they had been mistaken. Her blog was reinstated only to be deleted again the next day - the same thing happened with the new blog she made to replace her original site.

Maira's blog serves as a diary where she writes about her life and her struggles with mental illness - due to its nature as a journal her blog will obviously contain content describing the lows she experiences, however she also writes about the treatment she is receiving and the victories she has made on her journey towards recovery. Her most recent page (maira-meoww.tumblr.com) was the third URL she had in a week because of the constant deleting and reinstating of her page but also contained a link to all of her therapy assignments so that all viewers could copy the exercise template geared towards challenging eating disordered behaviors and thoughts. Her blog and her story acted as beacons of hope for others on Tumblr who are also struggling. Other users have written these posts demonstrating just that: http://paleyalexaa.tumblr.com/post/12730864909/i-miss-missmairaisabel​ http://graisse-squelette.tumblr.com/post/26495774764/i-have-to-say-this-maira-doesnt-even-know-me-but​ http://i-am-ambivalent.tumblr.com/tagged/inspiration4maira​ http://xcvlbs.tumblr.com/post/26023057954​ http://kandy-kait.tumblr.com/post/15860062678/dedicated-to-maira-cortez

By deleting the blogs of users like Maira - users who struggle but are actively trying to help others as well as themselves and stand against the promotion of injurious behaviors and eating disorders - sets a terrible precedent. These actions make the statement that honesty is not the best policy if one is ill, that attempting to forge a place of solace or a place to vent is unacceptable if one is in a dark place, that Tumblr is not the safe and supportive space one had thought it to be, and - worst of all - that those blogs actually promoting eating disorders, teaching others how to kill themselves, and mocking the suffering of those whose blogs are being deleted can fly under the radar. Reinstating Maira's blog helps to remedy the negative impact of the precedent Tumblr has begun to set and also gives hope to others that Tumblr truly is a safe space.