CA-C-002993
Substack — Substack Terms of Use
Entity
Date detected
June 16, 2026
Effective date
June 16, 2026
Severity
Low
Direction
Neutral
Affected users
all users
Changes
1 sentence modified
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Event Summary

Substack added a reference to 'Brand Partnerships' in the footer navigation of their Terms of Use on June 16, 2026. Previously, the footer listed features including 'Features' but did not include 'Brand Partnerships'. The updated footer now includes this link, suggesting Substack has added a new page or section describing branded partnership offerings. This is a navigation update with no change to the substantive terms governing user rights or obligations.

LOW

Consumer Impact

This change does not affect the substantive terms under which Substack users operate. The update adds a navigation link to a 'Brand Partnerships' section in the website footer, which is a formatting and navigation change. No user rights, obligations, data practices, or service terms are modified by this update.

Governance Analysis

This change does not materially affect the terms users operate under. The addition of a 'Brand Partnerships' link is a navigation update that may indicate Substack is expanding its offerings to include branded partnership services, but the change itself does not modify user rights, data handling, or platform obligations.

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This change record describes what was added, removed, or modified in the document. Analysis reflects what the updated agreement states or permits. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Applicability may vary by jurisdiction. Methodology

Evidence Verification

✓ Verified
Previous Version
61fd991a2f5fd8e53322ec1a62344bf86edfa56331f35a0d1b4571dafde04478
May 19, 2026 00:17 UTC
✓ Verified
Current Version
57408eb47d293a7a666d27d9f9fc1c1696dd8083523c06c690f2f3e7846d8be0
June 16, 2026 00:26 UTC
✓ Verified
Change Detected
June 16, 2026 00:26 UTC
Analysis Methodology
✓ Verified
Source Document
https://substack.com/tos
Citation Record
Entity: Substack
Document: Substack Terms of Use
Record ID: CA-C-002993
Captured: 2026-06-16 00:26:41 UTC
URL: https://conductatlas.com/change/2026-06-16-substack-substack-terms-of-use-2993/
Accessed: June 16, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
For legal and compliance teams

Institutional Analysis

Assessment

This is a navigation and footer update with no material change to contractual terms, regulatory obligations, or operational commitments. No compliance action is required.

Full compliance analysis

Obligation analysis, escalation trigger, board language, and recommended action.

Monitor $19/mo Compliance $249/mo

Monitor: regulatory citations + obligations. Compliance: full compliance memo.

ConductAtlas provides verified policy intelligence sourced directly from platform documents. All analysis is intended to support, not replace, legal and compliance review. Record CA-C-002993.

Clause-Level Changes

New Provisions Added
Choice of Law and Governing Jurisdiction
Low

Addition of explicit governing law provision anchors dispute resolution to California law and federal law without conflict of law considerations.

Full clause text available with Compliance. See Compliance →
Survival of Obligations Post-Termination
Low

New provision clarifies that financial obligations, indemnification, liability limitations, IP rights, and dispute resolution survive account termination, extending Substack's legal protections beyond active user relationship.

Full clause text available with Compliance. See Compliance →
Provisions Removed
Limitation of Liability Cap
Medium

Removal of specific liability cap language naming 'Limitation of Liability Cap' suggests potential restructuring, though similar language appears under renamed 'Limitation of Liability' provision.

Removed clause text available with Compliance. See Compliance →
Provisions Modified
Mandatory Arbitration and Class Action Waiver
High

Removal of procedural language regarding arbitrator selection from 'appropriate list of JAMS arbitrators' truncates the provision but maintains core arbitration requirement.

Before/after clause text available with Compliance. See Compliance →
COPPA Age Restriction and Under-16 Prohibition
Medium

Provision name changed from 'COPPA Under-16 Prohibition' to 'COPPA Age Restriction and Under-16 Prohibition' and severity downgraded from medium to low.

Before/after clause text available with Compliance. See Compliance →
Content Removal and Acceptable Use Policy
Medium

Provision expanded with new affirmative user conduct obligations and specific prohibited behaviors including fraud, threats, Content Guidelines violations, and security jeopardization, with severity downgraded from medium to low.

Before/after clause text available with Compliance. See Compliance →
Unilateral Terms Amendment
Medium

Provision name changed from 'Unilateral Terms Modification' to 'Unilateral Terms Amendment' with no text changes.

Before/after clause text available with Compliance. See Compliance →

4 provisions unchanged.

Cross-platform context

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Full Changes

See the full side-by-side comparison of every sentence added, removed, and modified.

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Document Context

Version history → Policy drift analysis → Document page →
Document
Substack Terms of Use
Entity
Substack
Captured
June 16, 2026
Source URL
https://substack.com/tos
Other changes to Substack Terms of Use
Previous change May 19, 2026
Substack's Terms of Use footer navigation was updated on May 19, 2026 to add comparative product links. The footer now …
Low Neutral
View full version history →
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