BREAKING: Elon Musk & Twitter Target Substack
Despite Twitter's recent action against Substack, we will continue to utilize this platform and rely on subscriptions to sustain it.
While Elon Musk's tenure as Twitter CEO has been marked by controversial decision-making, many hoped that a more inclusive platform would eventually emerge. However, a mid-December incident in which Twitter suspended the accounts of journalists critical of the social media giant, including reporters from The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and Voice of America, suggested that Musk's personal biases may overshadow his commitment to fostering "free speech" on the platform. Though the affected accounts were eventually reinstated, the episode was a reminder that the platform remains susceptible to the whims of its leadership.
Today, Twitter has reportedly taken steps to limit the reach of Substack links on its platform, a move that has drawn criticism from both writers and the press. Users attempting to retweet or comment on Substack URLs within the mobile app are met with an error message indicating that "Some actions on this Tweet have been disabled by Twitter." While links can still be shared, the move effectively hinders the visibility of Substack content on the social media giant.
In response, a spokesperson for Substack expressed disappointment, stating that:
"We’re disappointed that Twitter has chosen to restrict writers’ ability to share their work. Writers deserve the freedom to share links to Substack or anywhere else. This abrupt change is a reminder of why writers deserve a model that puts them in charge, that rewards great work with money, and that protects the free press and free speech. Their livelihoods should not be tied to platforms where they don’t own their relationship with their audience, and where the rules can change on a whim."
The latest move by Twitter to limit the reach of Substack links has raised eyebrows given the companies' intertwined histories. Twitter previously operated a newsletter platform, Revue, which it closed down shortly after Elon Musk took over the company. This decision is likely to provoke reactions from both sides of the political spectrum, as many journalists who previously relied on Substack to monetize their content, including Matt Taibbi, were instrumental in exposing Twitter's internal workings prior to Musk's takeover.
Substack users who have seen their readership suffer as a result of Twitter's actions, however, can take advantage of a simple workaround. The service allows users to connect a custom domain name to their account, enabling them to circumvent Twitter's restrictions. For example, instead of using a Substack domain such as Krassenstein.substack.com, users can opt for a custom domain like Krassenstein.news, for an annual fee of around $10. Details on how to set up this feature can be found on the Substack website.
The timing of Twitter's move to limit the reach of Substack links is noteworthy, coming just days after Substack's announcement that it would soon be launching a new feature called "Notes." This feature will function in a similar manner to Twitter, but with a more limited scope designed specifically for writers and readers. It appears that this development may have irked Elon Musk, leading him to take punitive action against Substack by restricting its reach on Twitter.
We remain committed to using Substack as a platform for sharing relevant information with our readers, despite the ongoing actions of both Elon Musk and Twitter. We are grateful for the support of our subscribers and will strive to provide them with valuable content on an ongoing basis.