Tumblr introduces group spaces with Communities

This new Tumblr feature seems awfully familiar...
By Christianna Silva  on 
Tumblr logo displayed on a mobile phone screen and in the background.
Tumblr Communities is here Credit: Photo Illustration by Idrees Abbas/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Tumblr is taking a page from Reddit and Facebook with its new "Communities" feature, which are digital spaces like subreddits and Facebook groups.

"Communities are a new and easy way to connect with the people on Tumblr who get it," Tumblr said in a post announcing the feature. "You can invite mutuals who share your obsessions to a private Community or start a public Community for the things you love and watch all the new friends pile in. Like a clown car, Communities can fit (almost) as many people in ‘em as you want."

Communities — which allows users to create a space for anything from a D&D campaign to cat photos — has been available to some users in beta but officially launched across the platform on web, iOS, and Android on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Mashable Top Stories
Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.
Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16 and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!

You can get started by browsing though Communities that already exist, like aesthetic, writing, and TV shows, or you can create your own Community.

It's not a huge surprise that Tumblr would copy its more successful social media sisters. The platform has been struggling to maintain relevancy after it banned porn in 2018, and it's kind of the Thing Platforms Do — copy whatever else is successful and see if you can't make it slightly better. Look at Instagram Reels copying TikTok, or Facebook Stories copying Snapchat. So...TikTok Communities when?

Mashable Image
Christianna Silva
Senior Culture Reporter

Christianna Silva is a Senior Culture Reporter at Mashable. They write about tech and digital culture, with a focus on Facebook and Instagram. Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow them on Twitter @christianna_j.


Recommended For You
The 4 best robot vacuums for apartments, condos, and other small spaces in 2024
Illustrative graphic featuring home decor and sepia Roomba j7  robot vacuum

Unicorn hunters, swipe left: The best dating apps for bi people
two people looking at dating app screen

Bill Burr's trauma support group goes off the rails in 'SNL' sketch
asian man in leather jacket and brown button up shirt

'Queer Eye' Season 9 trailer introduces the new Fab Five member
The cast of "Queer Eye" in a promo shot.


More in Life
Amazon deal of the day: Snag the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE at its best price ever
Shark FlexStyle, Samsung tablet, Sony headphones, and Amazon Fire TV with purple and pink background

Elon Musk’s xAI receives another $6B in funding as Grok app looms
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Co-Chair of the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arrives on Capitol Hill on December 05, 2024 in Washington, DC. Musk and his Co-Chair, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy are meeting with lawmakers today about DOGE, a planned presidential advisory commission with the goal of cutting government spending and increasing efficiency in the federal workforce.

CES 2025: 7 AI-powered home products we expect to see from Samsung, LG, more
CES logo

Healthcare giant admits over 5 million patients affected by ransomware attack
A ransomware attack crippled a healthcare chain.

Get the Dyson Supersonic Origin for $100 less
black and white photo of a woman using the dyson supersonic origin hairdryer

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 24, 2024
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

NASA spacecraft just plunged into the sun and broke stunning records
An artist's conception of NASA's Parker Solar Probe passing through the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona.

Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 24
a phone displaying Wordle

NYT Strands hints, answers for December 24
A game being played on a smartphone.

Best Buy committed to 48-hours of price cuts with a major 48-Hour Flash Sale
Apple headphones, a JBL speaker, and an LG TV appear on a green and yellow swirly background.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16 and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!