if the art is being scraped for AI training either way, why does it matter that Tumblr starts taking money for it? it changes literally nothing except that the site might survive a bit longer with the additional funding to combat how much money it's still loosing.
Because it’s not a logistical question it’s an ethical one. Partnering with a generative AI company which openly steals art and uses it to put the same people it steals from out of jobs is an ethical issue. “Scraping is going to happen anyways so let tumblr make money off of it!” And tell me why I should stick around for it? Why support a website that does not fight for us, but shakes hands with those who exploit us? Does tumblr, a corporation, need this money more than my mom who hasn’t had illustration work in months? Do they need it more than all of my visdev friends struggling to find jobs? I’m amazed that you’ll shill for tumblr as a company yet come into the ask box of one of many people that actually creates things you like and tell me to roll over and get exploited for their profit. Tell me why you like tumblr. Just for staff posts? Or for the artists and writers who provide endless entertainment for you everyday? I’m sorry for having the barest amount of conviction in taking down/ not posting art here anymore, but mine and my friend’s livelihoods are more important to me than tumblr’s profit margins.