• •Substack launched a 'Reply Rules' feature allowing creators to restrict who can comment on their posts.
• •The tools enable creators to toggle permissions based on subscription status or account age, as reported by TechCrunch.
• •It remains unclear if these controls will effectively reduce coordinated harassment campaigns or impact overall platform engagement levels.

Substack has rolled out a new 'Reply Rules' feature that grants writers granular control over their comment sections. The move is designed to curb harassment and improve creator retention by allowing hosts to filter responses by subscriber status. While the update addresses frequent requests for moderation tools, some users have expressed concern that tighter controls could limit open discourse. Whether these settings succeed in balancing community health with free expression will depend on how widely creators adopt the new restrictions.