Ah, the famed saga of Tumblr and its relationship with Yahoo — it’s like a plot twist straight out of a soap opera, but this time with more memes and cat gifs involved. So, grab your popcorn and settle in, because we’re about to dive into this quirky tale that has evolved over the years.
Verizon Communications acquired Yahoo in June 2017, and in doing so, they incorporated Tumblr into their growing digital empire under the umbrella of their subsidiary known as Oath. What’s Oath, you ask? Well, it sounds like some kind of superhero alliance, but in reality, it was merely Verizon’s way of grouping Yahoo, AOL, and other smaller brands into one big happy family. You can almost hear the corporate synergy music playing in the background, can’t you?
But wait, the plot thickens! Fast forward through internet drama, social media scandals, and the ever-present meme wars, and we explore how Tumblr evolved. As the darling of the cool kids in the online universe, Tumblr found itself facing stiff competition from platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and the always-controversial Twitter. Despite being under the large, yet often chaotic, umbrella of Oath, Tumblr maintained its unique vibe and devoted fanbase. Think of it as that one friend who stays true to their weird interests while everyone else jumps on the latest trend.
Now, here’s where it gets really spicy: in August 2019, right when you thought this saga couldn’t get any wilder, Verizon decided to sell Tumblr to Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com. So, what’s the moral of the story? Yahoo may have had ownership of Tumblr for a time, but like a classic game of musical chairs, the ownership has been bouncing around the corporate world faster than you can scroll through your dashboard.
Despite its ownership changing hands like a hot potato, Tumblr remains a bonafide treasure trove for niche content. From fandoms to hidden artistry, the platform retains a distinct flavor that its devoted users cherish. So, while Yahoo, thanks to its obsolescence in the modern internet race, may not hold the reins anymore, Tumblr flourishes like a resilient weed in the vast garden of social media.
To wrap it all up in a neat little bow while tossing in a dash of sass, it’s safe to say that Tumblr is no longer part of Yahoo’s world. In fact, Yahoo might as well be a relic of the internet past, while Tumblr continues to dance to the beat of its own drum, owned now by a new guardian, Automattic. Cheers to new beginnings and scrolling endlessly through a sea of endless creativity!
