Independent writing platform Substack is under scrutiny for its recent decision not to block Nazis from using its services. This move allows white supremacists and other extremists to build an audience and profit from their subscriptions. Founded in San Francisco in 2017, Substack has become a popular hub for journalism and online writing, offering a streamlined process for publishing email newsletters and allowing writers to keep 90% of their sales.
However, several writers who have used Substack to establish their newsletter businesses have left the platform in recent weeks. More writers are considering doing the same if Substack does not reverse its policies and stop monetizing white supremacists. Casey Newton, the editor of the prominent newsletter Platformer, which focuses on tech industry news, informed their 172,000 subscribers that they were contemplating leaving Substack, stating that a platform that refuses to remove Nazi supporters reveals something significant about itself.
This controversy is the latest in a series of battles concerning how tech companies handle extremist content online. While mainstream apps like Instagram and YouTube have rules against violent organizations and hateful content, Substack has taken a different approach. Not only does it allow extremist content, but it also pays extremist writers through subscription revenue-sharing. This lenient approach has raised concerns about extremist content for years. Substack has published writers with anti-vaccine and transphobic views in the past.
The issue of Nazis on Substack gained attention when The Atlantic magazine published an article questioning Substack’s handling of extremism. The article estimated that white supremacist Richard Spencer was making a significant income from his Substack newsletter, suggesting that other white supremacists on the platform may be doing the same. In response, over 240 writers with Substack newsletters signed a petition requesting clarification from the company.
Substack’s commitment to free speech has been called into question, as it does remove some sex-related content. Critics have also pointed out that Substack now goes beyond hosting neutral newsletter content by making recommendations, potentially boosting extremist content. Co-founder Hamish McKenzie defended the company’s policy, stating that while they do not support Nazis or their extreme views, censorship would only worsen the problem.
Writers like Rusty Foster, publisher of the newsletter Today in Tabs, found McKenzie’s post to be the final straw. Foster switched to a competing newsletter platform, beehiiv. He believes that by allowing Nazis to raise money on the platform, Substack will attract more extremists. Marisa Kabas, a writer and third-generation Holocaust survivor, expressed her disappointment in Substack for welcoming Nazis and extremists onto the platform, causing many others like her to reconsider their support.
As a platform, Substack is facing increasing pressure to address these concerns and take action against the monetization of white supremacists. The editor of Platformer, Casey Newton, highlighted that Substack’s position is isolated within the tech industry, as other major US consumer internet platforms have policies that either remove or demonetize Nazi accounts.
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