How to Lock Down Substack Privacy Settings
Substack collects extensive personal data by default, but you can significantly reduce your exposure by changing key privacy settings. This guide walks you through every important privacy setting on Substack, explaining what each one controls and recommending the most private configuration. While no settings can completely stop data collection, these changes will minimize what Substack knows about you.
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Privacy Settings to Change
Follow each step below to maximize your privacy on Substack. We have organized them by impact level so you can prioritize the most important changes first. Each setting includes the exact navigation path and a clear explanation of what it controls and why it matters for your privacy.
Analytics and Diagnostics
Path: Settings > Privacy > Analytics
Recommendation: Disable all analytics sharing
Stops the app from sending usage data and crash reports that reveal your behavior patterns.
Personalization
Path: Settings > Privacy > Personalization
Recommendation: Disable personalized recommendations
Reduces the behavioral data collected to tailor your experience and build advertising profiles.
Third-Party Access
Path: Settings > Privacy > Connected Apps
Recommendation: Review and remove unnecessary connections
Third-party integrations often have broad data access permissions that extend your data exposure.
Account Visibility
Path: Settings > Privacy > Account
Recommendation: Set to private or limited visibility
Reduces how much of your profile and activity is visible to other users and search engines.
Communication Preferences
Path: Settings > Notifications > Marketing
Recommendation: Disable all marketing communications
Stops marketing emails that often contain tracking pixels to monitor your engagement.
Data Download
Path: Settings > Privacy > Download Data
Recommendation: Periodically download and review your data
Understanding what data is collected helps you make informed decisions about which settings to change.
What Substack Still Collects
Even with all privacy settings maximized, Substack still collects certain types of data as part of its core functionality. Understanding these limitations is important for making informed decisions about whether to continue using the service or switch to a privacy-first alternative that collects less data by design.
Want True Privacy? Switch to WeTalkin
While hardening Substack's settings helps, it cannot fully protect your privacy because the platform's business model depends on collecting your data. For genuine privacy, consider switching to WeTalkin, which is built from the ground up with privacy as the primary design principle. Unlike Substack, it does not profit from your personal information.
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