Twitter Reverses Limitation on Substack Links

Twitter has lifted its recent restrictions on Substack links, allowing users to interact with them freely once again. As of now, users can retweet, reply to, and like posts that feature a link to a Substack newsletter. Additionally, Twitter will not issue a safety warning if users click on those links.

The social media platform had initially begun throttling Substack links following the announcement of Substack Notes, a feature that added a Twitter-like feed to the newsletter platform. However, searching for the term “substack” on Twitter still produces results involving the word “newsletter” as of the writing of this article.

In response to Twitter's decision to lift the limitations, Substack tweeted its approval late on Saturday evening. The tweet read, “We’re glad to see that the suppression of Substack publications on Twitter appears to be over. This is the right move for writers, who deserve the freedom to share their work.”

The controversy surrounding Substack Notes began when Elon Musk claimed that Substack was “trying to download a massive portion of the Twitter database to bootstrap their Twitter clone,” an accusation that Chris Best, CEO of Substrack, vehemently denied. Best shared in a Notes post with The Verge, “None of this is true. This is very frustrating. It’s one thing to mess with Substack, but quite another to treat writers this way.”

Musk's decision to limit access to Substack led to a feud with journalist Matt Taibbi, who worked on the so-called “Twitter Files.” Taibbi has announced that he is quitting Twitter over the restrictions. However, this week’s episode hasn’t convinced Substack to alter its plans around Notes. The company has stated, “We look forward to making Substack Notes available soon. But we expect it to be a new kind of place within a subscription network, not a replacement for existing social networks.”

Overall, Twitter’s reversal of its Substack link limitations is a positive move for writers who can now share their work more freely on the platform.