Is Substack becoming a closed digital garden?

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Substack becomes another close digital garden. I think. Before you could write there a newsletter. Today you can publish podcast, videoconversations and posts like on X, Bluesky or Mastodon. Everything in one place.

Comfortable? Definitely yes. But… dangerous as well.

Why? Because it all doesn’t belong to you.

Your entire business becomes dependent on Substack. Your independence is created by the idea that you can export a list of your subscribers' email addresses and switch to other provider. Is that enough to make you feel independent in a world of closed digital gardens?

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