Privilege-Denying Dude Pulled Off Tumblr

What sadness! Like a beautiful shooting star whose light burns out too soon, the Privilege Denying Dude Tumblr is no more. Its creator says Tumblr suspended it for “extensive copyright violation.” She wonders if there’s more to the story.

Diana, the 20-year-old woman behind the meme, has posted a screenshot of a message from someone who claims to be the original copyright holder of the base photo she used. The message says her use of the image violates a content license agreement issued by istockphoto, which apparently bought the pic for its subscription photo pool. But then the Tumblrfolks took down PDD before she had time to address istockphoto’s concerns? Seems a bit hasty—and also misguided, if one considers the issue of fair use. Sure, she used a licensed image, but added a layer of text on top—-not to sell or minimize the value of the original work, but to use it as a template for feminist commentary.

Perhaps more information will be forthcoming, and we will learn more about what happened. “As many have pointed out, it sure is interesting that Tumblr is taking action against this particular meme,” Diana Tumbled.

What’s her plan now? “First off, I want to stop using [the] image,” she writes. “One, because stock photo models and photographers have reason to be angry about it. Two, ‘cause they can’t say shit if we don’t use a photo under a license agreement.” She also wants to create “MOAR-social-justice-memes.” If the cleverness of PDD is any indication, we have much to look forward to.

Update: We’ve become aware that the model used in this meme has been insulted in real life because people think he personally endorses the meme. This is not the case. The person is a model and is not related to the messages being communicated.