The Substack Times: The Rise and Pitfalls of the Platform
Social media-based apps, like Instagram and TikTok, thrive on your instant gratification. With social media contributing to a decline in people’s attention span, other media platforms, such as newspapers and magazines, have struggled to compete. But somehow, Substack, the most recent competitor to enter the ring, embraces the art of reading and writing through a newsletter-based structure.
Disillusioned by the media landscape filled with clickbait articles, fake news, and ads, founders Chris Best, Jairaj Smith and Hamish McKenzie, who all previously worked for various tech companies, wanted to revolutionize journalism and bring it back to its democratic roots. Looking to freelance journalists with independent blogs, Best, Smith, and McKenzie saw the potential to craft a platform that would give writers the tools to connect with audiences on a wider scale. This idea led the three friends to launch Substack in 2017. In their first blog post, the company established its leading values, which promisingly set itself apart from other apps:
“At the core of Substack’s mission is the belief that, democratizing the tools that they [writers] need to create independent businesses, we can help writers succeed in an era in which the overall market for news grows dramatically.”
However, as Substack transforms from a newsletter server to a multimedia social platform, its “core” values face an existential crisis. With the platform surpassing over 5 million paid subscribers this year and becoming a worthy contender against the Big Three (Instagram, TikTok, and X, formerly known as Twitter), the founders have struggled to uphold their original values and distinguish the platform from its competitors.
Substack embraces the motto: anyone can write. Whether you are a professional reporter, a teacher, a recent college graduate, or a retiree, the platform wants users of all backgrounds to write editorial pieces about their interests and passions. Empowering writers to build their own media company, Substack provides them with the infrastructure to create their personal newsletter, where they can write blog posts and send them directly into their readers’ inboxes. The most appealing part is that the platform gives writers the option of creating a paid subscription for their newsletter. In a media landscape fueled by algorithms, A.I. chatbots, and ads, Substack relies on a simple method of directly connecting writers and readers through their shared interests.
This model helped the company quickly establish itself as a haven for big-name journalists from legacy media companies. Substack lured journalists with promises of the freedom to write on their own terms and the means to make a profit. From former CNN anchor Jim Acosta to ABC News Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran, journalists have found a new home on Substack. The platform has helped established journalists and new writers alike build an engaged audience, instead of competing with the oversaturation of content on other social media apps.
Providing an alternative to social media, Substack also presents an exciting opportunity for younger generations to find a new cultural hub, breaking away from the never-ending scroll of Instagram and TikTok. According to a 2023 McKinsey Health Institute report, 27% of Gen-Z say that social media has had a negative impact on their mental health. Searching for more positive, fulfilling, and intimate ways to engage online, Gen-Z has looked to Substack as a new gathering place, where they can expand their intellectual curiosity and embrace the act of reading and writing. Substack’s ability to differentiate itself from other platforms has significantly attracted Gen-Z and Millennial audiences, with 35.75% of users falling between the ages of 18 to 34. While social media apps, like Instagram, place pressure on Gen-Z to display picture-perfect versions of themselves, Substack thrives on users sharing their authentic perspectives through more than just selfies.
However, over the past couple of years, Substack has introduced features that mimic what other social media apps offer. Rebranding itself as the “great home of culture,” Substack has taken the opportunity to attract disgruntled users from other social media apps, notably X, by changing its structure. In 2023, Substack introduced a new “Notes” page, where users could post brief opinions or “restack” other people’s thoughts, following the model of X and Threads on Instagram. Last year, the platform even added an option for audiences to scroll through an onslaught of short videos, made by users, as if they were on Instagram or TikTok. While Substack claims to have introduced these features to help writers expand their interactions with subscribers, these new inclusions have arguably taken the focus away from the newsletter format and instead, repeat the model the founders were initially trying to escape.
Another big selling point for the newsletter service was the exclusion of personalized ads. While Substack states that the company “doesn’t permit publications whose primary purpose is to advertise external products or services,” the intrusion of marketers and influencers on the platform has increased and shifted the foundation of the app. Brands, such as American Eagle and Rare Beauty, have joined the app to expand their appeal to younger audiences. Marketers are approaching writers and influencers to include ads in their newsletter. Yet, Substack has not intercepted these attempts to use the platform for sale promotions rather than “high editorial content.”
This same lack of oversight also applies to Substack’s lacking response to the presence of hateful speech. Like other social media apps, Substack has refused to take full responsibility for the presence of white supremacist and Nazi-oriented posts. An investigation by The Atlantic in November 2023 revealed that Substack profited from the newsletters of such extremists, as the company receives a share of all paid subscriptions. While Substack could have taken the opportunity to set itself apart by taking reasonable measures to deal with misinformation and hate speech, the site’s leadership defended its “hands-off” approach to regulating writing, claiming to act only as the service-provider. This controversial response led multiple high-profile writers to leave Substack and has raised ethical concerns about the company’s management. Facing pressure from users, Substack eventually removed five accounts that violated the company’s content guidelines and promoted Nazi ideology. In 2024, the platform also announced that they will develop “reporting tools” to flag content that violates their standards. They have yet to follow through on launching any of these regulations.
Growing up chronically online, Gen-Z has looked upon social media platforms to form connections and build their identity. However, with the oversaturation of ads and algorithm-fueled content, these apps are contributing to a sense of disconnect and isolation. Substack’s promise to deviate from the superficial models of other apps and instead embrace a more traditional format holds an appeal for young audiences, who want to find a real sense of community. While Gen-Z uses social media apps to stay updated on the latest cultural trends, Substack gives its consumers a space to explore their niche interests and develop their voice, rather than feel pressured to mimic celebrities and influencers. Unlike apps which display content based on popularity (most notably Instagram and TikTok), Substack allows Gen-Z to connect with smaller and lesser-known writers who share diverse and distinct perspectives.
However, the more Substack implements new features that copy its competitors, the more it struggles to distinguish itself and defend its leading values. If Substack is attempting to revitalize the art of journalism and long-form writing, it needs to first protect the standards of journalistic integrity through greater oversight and fact-checking systems. As much as Substack has the power to amplify writers’ voices and bring communities together, it holds as equally as much power to become another platform for spreading misinformation. Experiencing the mistrials of other social media apps, Gen-Z has learned that they can not simply remain passive users when a company fails to uphold its standards. They can use their voice to keep new platforms, like Substack, accountable and ensure they remain a welcoming space for everyone. Whether it’s critiquing the company’s behavior or being more attentive to the content we engage with, Gen-Z can certify that they are smart and thoughtful consumers.
Overall, the recent rise of Substack has proven that Gen-Z likes to engage with long-form articles and stories which allow writers to share their honest perspectives. Encouraging users to connect and create a community through newsletters, Substack has the potential to reintroduce writing as an important form of communication and connection, if they focus on prioritizing their users’ interest over beating their media competitors.