Amid a flurry of tweets from tech entrepreneur Elon Musk about Substack, the CEO of the newsletter platform is pushing back and criticizing Musk’s recent comments.
In a tweet last week, Musk characterized Substack as “a newsletter platform for rent-seeking parasites,” calling out the company for enabling people to make money from writing newsletters. Substack CEO Chris Best responded on a podcast this week, criticizing the comment and asserting that Musk’s tweets have been “very frustrating” for the company.
Best argued that the vast majority of people who use Substack are everyday writers who don’t have any financial background whatsoever and who are simply trying to share their thoughts and ideas with the world. He further clarified that while some Substack writers do monetize their newsletters, Substack is not a rent-seeking platform, as he believes it is much more focused on engagement and helping people build an audience.
The clash between Musk and Substack also highlights a tension between digital media companies and the broader tech sector, as many tech companies have been wary of Substack’s success and its potential to disrupt the media industry. Best has defended his company’s mission and vision, insisting that Substack is committed to working with publishers and journalists to create the best possible content.
At the end of the day, technology and media are converging quickly, and companies like Substack are at the forefront of this shift. Best’s comments make it clear that he is unafraid to challenge Musk’s views, which could be a sign of more tension to come as the two industries continue to clash.
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