Twitter seems to have disabled Substack link interactions

On April 7, Twitter mobile and web users were unable to interact with tweets containing links to Substack pages.

When many users try to like, retweet, or reply to tweets with Substack links, they receive an error message stating that “some actions on this tweet have been disabled by Twitter.” In some instances, users report that the user interface appears to register their likes or retweets, but it does not appear to be tallying or displaying the interactions.

It is currently unknown whether the issue is a glitch or a deliberate design decision. Twitter appears to have disabled the ability for Substack users to embed tweets in their posts as of April 6; however, according to The Verge, a spokesperson for Substack did not specify whether the issue was due to a change in the Twitter API or a glitch. The inability of Twitter users to interact with tweets containing Substack links appears to have started around the same time, suggesting a connection between the two issues.

The issue follows numerous recent, enigmatic changes to Twitter, including several days in which the platform displayed a doge image in place of Twitter’s avian logo and National Public Radio (NPR) was labeled as “state media.”

On April 5, Substack also announced “Notes,” a Twitter-like posting application that could be viewed as competition for the bird app.

Substack is commonly regarded as a platform for expert-level bloggers to share their ideas with similar communities, and the crypto community has taken advantage of this to a significant degree.

On Substack, there are innumerable journals about cryptocurrency, blockchain, and Web3 with millions of subscribers. According to one Twitter user, preventing interaction with these authors’ posts featuring their work could stifle free speech.

Substack co-founders Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, and Jairaj Sethi said  “We are regretful that Twitter has chosen to restrict the ability of writers to share their work”. In a written statement:

“This abrupt change is a reminder of why writers deserve a model that puts them in charge, that rewards great work with money, and that protects the free press and free speech. Their livelihoods should not be tied to platforms where they don’t own their relationship with their audience, and where the rules can change on a whim.”