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Oh, here we go, they’re a-holes.

What happened to imgur?
Imgur, an image hosting service, has undergone significant changes to its content policy. In April 2023, the company announced that it would remove two types of content from its platform:

Explicit or pornographic imagery: This change marks a shift from Imgur’s previous policy of not actively removing adult content, despite it being technically banned through community rules.
Images uploaded anonymously: Imgur will delete unused, inactive, and anonymous images, citing a need to “clean up” its platform.
Impact on Embedded Images

The removal of these content types will have far-reaching consequences, as millions of images embedded elsewhere will eventually be taken down. This includes images linked to Reddit posts, forums, and other online platforms.

Community Response

In response to these changes, the Imgur community has begun to download and save images before they are purged. Something Awful, a comedy site, has launched the “Imgur Download Caper” initiative, which has resulted in the community downloading three terabytes of images and videos.

Future of Imgur

The changes to Imgur’s content policy have raised concerns about the long-term viability of the platform as a reliable image host. The site’s acquisition by MediaLab in 2021 has led to a shift in its focus and priorities. While Imgur was once a popular platform for hosting images, its new policies may ultimately lead to a decline in its usefulness and popularity.

Alternatives

As a result of Imgur’s changes, users are seeking alternative image hosting services. Reddit, for example, now allows users to host images directly on its platform, reducing reliance on third-party services like Imgur. Other image hosting platforms, such as Giphy, may also face similar scrutiny and potential disruptions in the future.