Twitter has recently begun to mark links to Substack publications as “potentially unsafe” for users. Substack is a blog publishing platform that has become increasingly popular among journalists, activists, and other public figures in recent years. The move by Twitter has been met with strong criticism from Substack’s users, who feel that this decision was made without any due regard for the safety and wellbeing of Substack’s users.
The decision was announced by Twitter in late March and has been met with a great deal of controversy. On the one hand, some have argued that Twitter is merely trying to protect its users by warning them of potentially unsafe content. On the other hand, Substack users have argued that Twitter’s decision was made without any input from Substack’s users and was done without any regard for the safety and trustworthiness of the platform.
Substack users are particularly concerned that this move will lead to less traffic and engagement for Substack publications and thus put the livelihoods of Substack’s users at risk. To add to their outrage, Substack users have also noted that many Substack publications are conducted in an entirely legal and ethical manner and yet Twitter is choosing to mark them as potentially unsafe.
Twitter has defended its decision by stating that it is simply a precautionary measure and does not necessarily mean that the content is unsafe. It has also stated that it has not been intended to stifle any kind of discourse or expression, and is merely intended to inform users and caution them against potential scams or malicious links.
Regardless of Twitter’s intentions, the decision to mark Substack links as potentially unsafe has caused a great deal of concern among Substack’s users. There is no doubt that this decision could have a negative impact on the numbers and engagement with Substack publications. It is important that Twitter takes the concerns and feedback of Substack users seriously and reconsiders this decision if it intends to retain the trust of its users.