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Don't forget the #1 ingredient to your success thus far: A total commitment to free speech. If Substack remains a platform that welcomes all different views and opinions, it will remain unstoppable.

Start deciding what opinions are acceptable or unacceptable, what information is true and what is "misinformation", caving to the demands of one side or the other, and it will only be a matter of time.

Don't end up on the ash heap of all the other fallen media empires.

Because I love Substack.

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Absolutely brilliant statement! I too love Substack and agree that for it to survive, especially in these challenging and heavily monitored times, it must remain a platform for free speech that welcomes all different views and opinions - there is always an alternative narrative to any discussion, this brings about healthy debate which empowers the writers on Substack to offer their views, findings and information within a healthy forum. Long May it last!

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Beautifully stated, Skye!

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That's the Spirit Skye. Down to Earth Truth.

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Thank you! I am publishing my first post shortly. I am a fierce defender of “Down to Earth Truth” literally .. l maybe a novice writer here, and now will be writing for pleasure, but l hope to entertain, amuse, challenge and inform from “a life well lived” ..

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You Can. Great pens don't write Great Stories but a Peaceful Mind can bring a revolution through writings. You Will.

These Four Words are Magical.

"You Can You Will ". Contains the power to build Billion Dollars Revenue. Beautiful Niche to write. Anyways I wish for your grand success. Thanks

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Thank you for your encouragement and kind words.

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This is exactly why I joined Substack, too. Free speech for the win.

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Amen to this!! 🙌🏼 Thank you Substack!

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Mmmm, not full free speech though. According to their content guidelines (here : https://substack.com/content), they "may hide or remove explicit content from Substack’s discovery features, including search and on Substack.com".

I mean, allowing nudity is already pretty good for an american company, but limiting its reach is not ideal.

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I was referring to free speech as relates ideas, opinions, arguments, and artistic expression generally. It makes perfect sense for any speech platform to decide whether explicit content is allowed. I think that’s a fair policy.

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Well, you were the one saying "total" :)

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And I stand by it. Would you agree that a “total commitment to free speech” means something slightly different in practice for Substack than say, Pornhub?

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Pornhub has a defined theme, and basically their guidelines are "anything goes if it's not illegal". Which does sound like a total commitment to free speech.

I agree that Substack guidelines being "anything goes of it's not illegal, and also not porn" can be understood : even if I don't agree that all porn is exploitative, some is, and it could be too difficult to differentiate, and hence moderate. So it's a stance that can be understood.

(Although they do compare themselves with Patreon and OnlyFans, so...)

But that's not what's happening : Substack is clearly stating that nudity is ok for journalistic or artistic purposes, BUT they can limit its reach (basically it's a shadowban clause). This is not, by any mean, a total commitment to free speech.

Why would, say, a sex education newsletter using explicit content (for obvious reasons) should be limited ? What's the reason behind it except considering it shocking, and how is that a total commitment to free speech ?

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Yes this is spoken about frequently among writers. Trust SubStack will follow their winning business model, continue to support free speech and innovate. A great example of the fact that free speech is treasured. It will always be valuable.

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