Writing Advice: Substack Age Verification (for UK and AUS readers)
How it will affect you and why it has been implemented.
Greetings, my wicked darlings,
Some readers have reported being asked by Substack to verify their age before accessing recent posts. This is the result of new online safety legislation, particularly the UK Online Safety Act and similar laws in other regions. This is affecting ALL Substacks, and horror is a genre that is disproportionately targeted due to its content.
These laws require platforms like Substack to confirm that users are over 18 before allowing access to content that could be classified as adult or sensitive. This applies even when the material is fictional, literary, or contextual, including horror fiction.
Under Substack’s 18+ content policy, age-restricted material can include fictional or descriptive depictions of violence, graphic injury, abuse, harassment, hate content, or themes involving self-harm, dangerous behaviour, or other mature subject matter. As a horror publication, much of my work falls within these legally defined categories, which is why an age gate may appear.
If you are affected, you may see blurred posts, blocked pages, or limited access to comments, chats, or live features. Nothing about the content itself has changed, and nothing has been flagged as illegal or improper. This is purely a compliance requirement imposed on the platform.
This will not affect most readers. It currently applies primarily to readers in the UK and Australia, and many of you will already be considered age verified. This includes paid subscribers using a credit or debit card, or anyone who has completed age verification on another participating service. If not, Substack may prompt a one-off age check using a secure third-party provider. Once completed, you should not be asked again.
If you choose not to verify your age, some content and features may remain unavailable.
One frustration on my end is that when a post is flagged, the restriction can apply to the entire email, including free sections such as group promos, even when the main story is already behind a paid and age-verified paywall. Reclassification can be requested, but it occurs after the email has already been sent.
This process is imposed at the platform level and cannot be disabled or bypassed by individual writers. Like many authors on Substack, I am actively reviewing how best to minimise disruption while continuing to provide the content you expect.
Sincere apologies for the faff,
Newt
Ooh. Well, if my Brit or Aussie readers have access trouble with my stuff, I'll find a way to work around it to get it to them.
It's so frustrating. I can't access half of the content of stacks I'm subscribed to.