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
Substack now discloses that it shares account identifiers, such as email addresses and usernames, with trusted industry child safety organizations to detect and prevent online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The policy also establishes that Substack will respond to privacy rights requests within one month, or up to three months for complex requests, providing more certainty about response timelines. Additionally, the policy clarifies that direct message recipients may retain messages even if you request deletion or delete your account, which is now explicitly stated rather than implied.
View change record →The updated policy no longer commits to responding to privacy rights requests within one month or within three months for complex requests. This removes a procedural timeline that previously bound Substack's response obligations. Additionally, the explicit disclosure that Substack shares account identifiers with child safety consortia to detect online child sexual exploitation has been removed from the policy, though the practice itself is not stated to have ended. The direct message retention language is now framed more directly: recipients may retain messages even if you request deletion or close your account.
View change record →How other platforms handle this
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California residents have the right to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information...to third parties for their direct marketing purposes unless we provide them with an ability to exercise choice regarding such disclosures.
"You can withdraw your consent at any time ("opt out"); see the section "What are your rights?" below. In case of electronic direct marketing you can opt out by following the instructions in the communication.Excerpt from Substack's Privacy Policy
Ad personalization controls removed. Contact scanning added. Advertiser data partnerships quietly dropped. A timeline of every change.
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The clause states: “You can withdraw your consent at any time ("opt out"); see the section "What are your rights?" below. In case of electronic direct marketing you can opt out by following the instructions in the communication.”
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 290 platforms. See the full comparison.
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