"Substack's privacy practices present significant risks due to extensive data collection and sharing with third parties, including advertising networks. The vague data retention policy and limited user control further exacerbate these concerns."
substack Privacy Concerns & Scorecard
Substack employs third-party tracking and interest-based advertising without clear opt-out mechanisms for all tracking.
Extensive personal information is collected, including sensitive data such as payment details and direct message contents.
Data is shared with various third parties, including service providers and advertising networks.
The data retention policy is vague, allowing for indefinite retention under certain circumstances.
Users have some control over their data but face limitations in deletion and data portability.
No recommended actions at this time.
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Why We Analyzed substack
TrueTerms automatically audits privacy policies and data practices using advanced machine learning to keep you informed and protected. This scorecard is based on the latest available public terms of service and privacy policies as of 2026.