Substack rolls out new ‘Reply Rules’ feature to help creators manage responses
The new ‘Reply Rules’ feature on Substack is designed to help creators better manage community interactions by setting custom reply guidelines and automatically filtering comments.
Substack’s new ‘Reply Rules’ feature gives creators more control over responses. (Image: Substack) Substack has introduced a new feature called ‘Reply Rules’ aimed at giving creators greater control over how audiences respond to their content on the platform.
The feature allows creators to set customised guidelines for replies across posts, Notes, and chats. According to the company, creators can define specific expectations from the audience interactions, such as discouraging spam-like or AI-generated comments, or even introducing more unconventional rules.
Substack said the system learns from moderation behaviour over time. For instance, if creators repeatedly hide certain types of replies, the platform may begin automatically filtering responses that do not align with those preferences. Hidden replies will remain visible to creators who can choose to restore them if required.
At present, the feature is available for all English-language publications on the platform. The move builds on Substack’s existing moderation approach, which places responsibility for community management largely in the hands of creators.
Writers already have access to tools such as locking comment threads, deleting replies, and suspending or banning users. It could help creators spend less time moderating comments, especially in large communities.
Substack has faced criticism in recent years over its content moderation policies, particularly regarding controversial and far-right newsletters on the platform. Critics say its open approach may allow harmful content to remain visible.
While announcing the update, Substack said it wants to support different communities and voices while managing moderation challenges.
The latest update arrives as Substack continues to expand its creator-focused features. Earlier this year, the company introduced a built-in recording studio for creators to pre-record and publish videos. It also launched a TV app that allows subscribers to watch video posts and livestreams on larger screens.
(This article has been curated by Shivani P Menon, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
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