The Substack logo on a smartphone

Substack now lets anyone publish posts, even if they don't have a newsletter

by with No Comment Tech

The Substack logo on a smartphone

Image Credits: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg / Getty Images

Substack is opening up to more users with its recent announcement that anyone can now publish content on its platform without setting up a publication. With the change, Substack is likely looking to attract more types of writers and content creators, not just people who are interested in creating regularly distributed long-form written pieces.

While Substack is mostly known for being a newsletter platform, the company has recently taken strides to turn the service into more of a social network with the launch of social features, such as tweet-like Notes and DMs. This latest change takes those ambitions even further, as you no longer have to be associated with a newsletter to publish on the platform.

Now, anyone with a Substack account can share their writing, video or audio content on the platform. Users can collect free or paid subscriptions right from their Substack profile. If users do decide to create a newsletter on Substack, they can do so while keeping their posts and subscribers.

Substack also shared that it’s continuing to work to make its platform more mobile-friendly. A few weeks ago, Substack rolled out the ability for writers to draft and publish new posts directly from their phone via its iOS app, with Android support coming soon. The company also announced that it has started testing live video and in-app payments.

The company’s efforts to become more of a social network as opposed to solely a newsletter platform can be traced back to when Twitter (now X) sold to Elon Musk. When Twitter started changing, arguably for the worse, many users began looking for alternative platforms. Substack, along with platforms like Bluesky and Threads, aimed to capitalize on Twitter’s upheaval.

Substack now lets anyone publish posts, even if they don't have a newsletter

by with No Comment Tech

The Substack logo on a smartphone

Image Credits: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg / Getty Images

Substack is opening up to more users with its recent announcement that anyone can now publish content on its platform without setting up a publication. With the change, Substack is likely looking to attract more types of writers and content creators, not just people who are interested in creating regularly distributed long-form written pieces.

While Substack is mostly known for being a newsletter platform, the company has recently taken strides to turn the service into more of a social network with the launch of social features, such as tweet-like Notes and DMs. This latest change takes those ambitions even further, as you no longer have to be associated with a newsletter to publish on the platform.

Now, anyone with a Substack account can share their writing, video or audio content on the platform. Users can collect free or paid subscriptions right from their Substack profile. If users do decide to create a newsletter on Substack, they can do so while keeping their posts and subscribers.

Substack also shared that it’s continuing to work to make its platform more mobile-friendly. A few weeks ago, Substack rolled out the ability for writers to draft and publish new posts directly from their phone via its iOS app, with Android support coming soon. The company also announced that it has started testing live video and in-app payments.

The company’s efforts to become more of a social network as opposed to solely a newsletter platform can be traced back to when Twitter (now X) sold to Elon Musk. When Twitter started changing, arguably for the worse, many users began looking for alternative platforms. Substack, along with platforms like Bluesky and Threads, aimed to capitalize on Twitter’s upheaval.

Amazon corporate office building in Sunnyvale, California

Amazon will have to publish an ads library in EU after all

by with No Comment Tech

Amazon corporate office building in Sunnyvale, California

Image Credits: Lisa Werner/Moment Mobile / Getty Images

Amazon will have to provide information about the ads running on its platform in a publicly accessible online archive after all, following a decision by the European Union’s highest court Wednesday.

The ads transparency requirement is contained in the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), an online governance and algorithmic accountability rulebook, which has applied to Amazon’s marketplace since late August 2023.

Other tech giants designated under the DSA have complied with the ads transparency provision. But Amazon filed a legal challenge to its designation last year and was granted a temporary suspension on the ad library element last fall. However, on Wednesday, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) reversed the September decision by the EU General Court to grant Amazon the partial suspension.

The CJEU found the European Commission, which oversees Amazon’s compliance with DSA rules for larger platforms, was denied the chance to comment on its arguments during proceedings in the lower court “in breach of the principle that the parties should be heard”, per the court’s press release.

In the judgement, the higher court went on to dismiss Amazon’s application for interim measures.

The CJEU said that while Amazon’s arguments about why it shouldn’t have to comply with publishing an ads library are expressing what may be serious concerns, they must be balanced against the interests of EU lawmakers’ and their intent in passing the law — including the risk of a delay of, potentially, several years to this element of Amazon’s compliance undermining the objectives of the DSA.

The decision is a win for the Commission and a blow to Amazon — reversing the partial stay it gained last year.

It is also a win for platform transparency as it will force Amazon to be more open about the ads it displays and monetizes.

Last year, the company failed to convince the lower court to suspend other DSA measures that apply to its recommender systems, such as a requirement that it must provide users with alternative product recommendations that are not based on tracking and profiling their web activity.

Amazon’s legal challenge to the EU’s designation of its marketplace as a so-called “very large online platform” (aka VLOP) under the DSA continues. But its compliance with the full pan-EU rulebook will be expected in the meanwhile. If it does not get with the bloc’s program it could face investigation for non-compliance and the risk of large fines, of up to 6% of global annual turnover, should the EU confirm a breach of the rules.

In a statement following the CJEU decision provided to TechCrunch, and attributed to an Amazon spokesperson, the company said:

We are disappointed with this decision, and maintain that Amazon doesn’t fit the description of a ‘Very Large Online Platform’ (VLOP) under the DSA, and should not be designated as such. Customer safety is a top priority for us at Amazon, and we continue to work closely with the EC with regard to our obligations under the DSA.

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