This analysis describes what Substack's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The disclosure informs users that direct message content is not protected by end-to-end encryption, meaning it may be accessible to parties other than the sender and recipient.
The updated policy discloses that Substack obtains additional information from third parties and sources beyond what it directly collects from you on the platform. This third-party information is combined with platform data to provide what Substack describes as more relevant and safer experiences, and to improve platform analytics. The policy also clarifies that Substack shares account identifiers with child safety industry consortia and receives information from them to detect CSAM. You can review Substack's full privacy policy to understand which third parties may be sources of this information and how your data may be combined with external sources.
View change record →The updated policy discloses that Substack shares account identifiers (email addresses and usernames) with trusted child safety organizations to detect and prevent online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Users now have the right to object to processing of their personal information for personalization purposes on grounds relating to their particular situation, and Substack commits to responding to privacy rights requests within one month. The policy also clarifies that while recipients of direct messages may retain them independently, the platform may restrict your access to messages when other users delete or block you. You can exercise your right to object to personalization processing by contacting privacy@substackinc.com.
View change record →Users who send direct messages on Substack should be aware that those messages are not end-to-end encrypted and do not carry the protections of a dedicated secure messaging service.
How other platforms handle this
California consumers also may request information about our disclosures of certain categories of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.
Written claims concerning copyright infringement must include the following information: A physical or electronic signature...A description of the copyrighted work...A description of where the allegedly infringing material is located...
We do not monitor, recognize, or honor any opt-out or do not track mechanisms, including general web browser "Do Not Track" settings and/or signals or other mechanisms that provide consumers the ability to exercise choice...
"direct messages are not end-to-end encrypted, and are not a substitute for secure messaging services.Excerpt from Substack's Privacy Policy
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The disclosure informs users that direct message content is not protected by end-to-end encryption, meaning it may be accessible to parties other than the sender and recipient.
Users who send direct messages on Substack should be aware that those messages are not end-to-end encrypted and do not carry the protections of a dedicated secure messaging service.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 266 platforms. See the full comparison.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Substack.