Substack appeared to back down after its latest controversy, which was probably inevitable in the current climate. That makes it even more important to protect infrastructure.
The Unified Content Business Model
Every content company is or should be moving to a model that incorporates both subscriptions and ads; creator platforms should help their publishers do the same.
Artifact, Bluesky, and Substack Notes; Social Networking 2.0 and the Twitter Diaspora; First Week Impressions
What is leading to all of the new social networks? Then, reviews of the early days of Artifact comments, Bluesky, and Substack Notes.
Substack Notes, Twitter Blocks Substack, Substack Versus Writers
Substack launched a Twitter competitor, and Twitter responded, in a predictable way. The real losers were writers, who were bound to be de-prioritized by Substack eventually.
iPhone Production Site Locked Down, An Interview With Bill Bishop about China (and Substack)
An Interview With Bill Bishop about China’s COVID outbreak, the Ukraine war, and Substack
More on Substack, Faceless Publishers and ATT, Apple’s ATT Deliberations
More on Substack, and how they have done right by publishers, and why their approach may be essential in a post-ATT world.
Substack Launches App, Substack and the Four Bens, In-App Purchase and the Substack Bundle
Substack launched an app, which isn’t a surprise given their VC model, but which portends change all the same.
Instagram Exclusive Content, Value Chain Conflicts, Facebook Bulletin
Exclusive Content on Instagram, like Super Tweets, is a compelling product for both the company and creators. It’s also why Bulletin is more compelling than it seems.
Sovereign Writers and Substack
Substack is at the center of media controversy, most of which misses the point that sovereign writers — not Substack — are in control.
Roblox vs. Second Life (and Minecraft), The Creativity Era, Roblox’s Business
More on what makes Roblox unique, and why App Store fees are ever more difficult to justify.