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Substack, a popular newsletter platform, has drawn widespread criticism after sending a push alert promoting a Nazi-aligned blog to an undisclosed number of its users. The notification, which reportedly included a swastika symbol, encouraged subscriptions to a newsletter described as providing “opinions and news important to the National Socialist and White Nationalist Community.”
The Controversial Push Notification
The alert promoted a publication known as “NatSocToday,” a weekly newsletter. According to reports, this newsletter openly advocates for extreme ideologies, including claims that Jewish people are a “sickness” and calls for the eradication of minorities to establish a “White homeland.”
The push notification reportedly appeared on users’ phones on Monday, leading to immediate confusion and alarm among recipients.
User Outcry and Alarm
Social media quickly became a forum for users to express their shock and dismay. Many posted screenshots and recounted their experience of receiving the unexpected alert. One user vividly described their reaction: “I had [a swastika] pop up as a notification and I’m like, wtf is this? Why am I getting this? I was quite alarmed and blocked it.”
The incident has sparked a significant backlash, with users questioning Substack’s content moderation policies and the nature of material being actively promoted on the platform. Several users admitted they were unaware of the extent of far-right presence on Substack, with one stating, “I thought that Substack was just for diaries and things like that. I didn’t realize there was such a prominent presence of the far right on the app.”
Questions About Platform Intent and Funding
The incident has also led to speculation regarding Substack’s motivations behind sending such an alert. Some users have theorized that the platform might have intentionally issued the push notification to generate engagement, or that it could be connected to Substack’s recent fundraising efforts.
Adding to the concern, it has been noted that Substack receives primary funding from Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm whose founders have previously been associated with promoting extreme far-right rhetoric. This connection has fueled further scrutiny over the platform’s content strategies and the types of voices it chooses to amplify.
Substack’s Content Landscape Under Scrutiny
The controversial push alert underscores growing concerns about content moderation on platforms that position themselves as open forums for diverse voices. While Substack champions a hands-off approach to content, this incident highlights the challenges and responsibilities that come with hosting and, in this case, actively promoting, content that many find abhorrent and dangerous.
The platform is now facing pressing questions about its responsibility to users and the broader public regarding the promotion of extremist ideologies.