Substackers Against Nazis

A collective letter to Substack leadership

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Hi Folks,

Below is an open letter to the founders of Substack that was drafted by a group of publishers on the platform seeking answers to questions about the platforming and monetization of Nazis and their content. I’m publishing the letter here to make my readers aware of our asks and concerns. Comments on this post are open to all subscribers, so I welcome your feedback.

In addition to the points raised in the open letter, I have a few thoughts.  

Substack’s role in elevating—and profiting from—the vile content of Nazis, white supremacists, and far-right extremists is part of a disturbing trend across social media. Using a tortured interpretation of all American’s right to free speech, the owners of these platforms would like us to accept their decision to give voice to and receive compensation from the purveyors of bigotry, antisemitism, and racism.

Under their warped interpretation of the First Amendment, there is no line too hurtful to cross, no group too disdainful to accept. As it stands, willingness to pay for access is all that matters to the founders of their platforms—no matter how despicable the content publisher may be.  

A meme comes to mind that perfectly illustrates my feelings on this situation. In it, an elderly woman holds a placard above her head inscribed with the words,

“I can’t believe I’m still protesting this shit.”

Like the woman in the meme, I’m also in disbelief. Naively, I was under the impression that if there was one settled opinion in our country, it was that there was no place for the hateful sentiments Substack has thus far chosen to ignore.

But for reasons they have yet to fully explain, Substack’s founders are unable to say what most of us already know: Nazism is bad and should not be tolerated.

~MSW

Dear Chris, Hamish & Jairaj:

We’re asking a very simple question that has somehow been made complicated: Why are you platforming and monetizing Nazis? 

According to a piece written by Substack publisher Jonathan M. Katz and published by The Atlantic on November 28, this platform has a Nazi problem: 

“Some Substack newsletters by Nazis and white nationalists have thousands or tens of thousands of subscribers, making the platform a new and valuable tool for creating mailing lists for the far right. And many accept paid subscriptions through Substack, seemingly flouting terms of service that ban attempts to ‘publish content or fund initiatives that incite violence based on protected classes’...Substack, which takes a 10 percent cut of subscription revenue, makes money when readers pay for Nazi newsletters.”

As Patrick Casey, a leader of a now-defunct neo-Nazi group who is banned on nearly every other social platform except Substack, wrote on here in 2021: “I’m able to live comfortably doing something I find enjoyable and fulfilling. The cause isn’t going anywhere.” Several Nazis and white supremacists including Richard Spencer not only have paid subscriptions turned on but have received Substack “Bestseller” badges, indicating that they are making at a minimum thousands of dollars a year.

From our perspective as Substack publishers, it is unfathomable that someone with a swastika avatar, who writes about “The Jewish question,” or who promotes Great Replacement Theory, could be given the tools to succeed on your platform. And yet you’ve been unable to adequately explain your position. 

In the past you have defended your decision to platform bigotry by saying you “make decisions based on principles not PR” and “will stick to our hands-off approach to content moderation.” But there’s a difference between a hands-off approach and putting your thumb on the scale. We know you moderate some content, including spam sites and newsletters written by sex workers. Why do you choose to promote and allow the monetization of sites that traffic in white nationalism? 

Your unwillingness to play by your own rules on this issue has already led to the announced departures of several prominent Substackers, including Rusty Foster and Helena Fitzgerald. They follow previous exoduses of writers, including Substack Pro recipient Grace Lavery and Jude Ellison S. Doyle, who left with similar concerns. 

As journalist Casey Newton told his more than 166,000 Substack subscribers after Katz’s piece came out: “The correct number of newsletters using Nazi symbols that you host and profit from on your platform is zero.” 

We, your publishers, want to hear from you on the official Substack newsletter. Is platforming Nazis part of your vision of success? Let us know—from there we can each decide if this is still where we want to be.

Signed, 

Substackers Against Nazis

Thanks for reading. If this letter resonates, please share this post with others. If you’re a publisher who would like to join this collective effort, we encourage you to repost the letter on your own Substack.