teens aren’t “ruining” substack. adults just forgot they used to be one.

let's talk about digital citizenship! 🧚‍♀️✨

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digital citizenship > shame.

this is one of my messier entries…but someone had to say it.

i’ve only been on substack for a couple of weeks, and in that time, i’ve seen a handful of adults talking about teenagers here like their presence is a problem.

and maybe this is where i lose some people,

because IM SOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED FOR THEM!!!!!!!!
AND US!!!!!!!!!!
AHHHHHSKSKJSJSJ!!!!!!!!

i’m not even being dramatic when i say i’ve been desperately nostalgic for an app like this since 2014. we used to have myspace, tumblr, wattpad. we overshared, embarrassed ourselves, made friends, and felt less alone.

so when i see teenagers on substack, i think, FINALLY. let them write!! in fact, let’s provide feedback on their writing. let’s empower them.

do you not remember being a teenager? do you not remember that if we wanted access to information, we usually found a way? we didn’t need to be online to make poor decisions or put ourselves in unsafe situations. a lot of us were on kik and omegle before we had nearly as much internet safety education as we have now.

teens don’t need to be rejected from a creative, educational app like substack.

what they need is digital citizenship.

because at the end of the day, adults fall for online scams too. adults get catfished, manipulated, and sometimes lose everything to a romance that was never real. that doesn’t make any of us stupid. most of the time, it means we assumed other people had the same intentions and morals we did.

that’s why education around these dynamics matters so much to me. i’ve studied the patterns, and while that doesn’t make me untouchable, it does help me recognize the signs sooner, which makes the likelihood a lot smaller.

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protect young writers.

for context, i’m in my mid 20s. i work in education partnerships and school safety advocacy, and i’m also a survivor of psychological abuse. so when i talk about child abuse, manipulation, and power dynamics, i’m not saying it lightly. i’ve spent the last several years studying this stuff because i had to.

you don’t have to hide yourself from the world, but it’s important to know what kinds of public information could put you at risk.

i take a risk when i share parts of my life here, but i’m an adult, and i work with people who understand security. i have safe spaces to go to if i need help, but i didn’t have that as a teenager. a lot of you probably don’t either, and i know it can be hard to go to your parents if you’re in a situation where you might be shamed.

unfortunately, there are people, even on substack, who look for loneliness, grief, and unstable family environments. people with predatory intentions can use those vulnerabilities to target others, especially if you come across as empathetic and open.

• if someone is trying to move the conversation into DMs, you are allowed to say you aren’t comfortable, even if they’ve been seemingly kind to you.

• you don’t owe anyone access just because they read your work.

• you don’t owe anyone a reply because they were kind in your comments.

• more importantly, you don’t owe anyone continued access just because they supported you at some point.

unsafe people will often use things like favors, support, and compliments to make you feel like you “owe” them your time, attention, or silence.

good people don’t keep a receipt of their kindness.

this is why i’ve blocked people before, and i will enthusiastically block people again!! if someone makes me feel uneasy, i don’t need a full courtroom of evidence before i remove myself from the situation. you are allowed to do the same.

here’s a simple response you can use to set a boundary:

“i use substack for education and community, so i prefer to keep conversations public unless i know someone well. thanks for understanding.”

you are not rude for having boundaries. safe people will always respect your time, boundaries, and comfort level.

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kindness shouldn’t make you a target, & i’m tired.

i want teenagers to feel welcome in creative spaces, and i don’t want adults bullying them off an app that could actually help them write and build connections. i don’t want them to feel like their maturity level is shameful, or like their age makes their experience less valuable. we have to remember that these are literally kids. older kids, yes, but still kids with big emotions, less life experience, and a lot happening at home.

teenagers deserve to write, and they deserve to be protected while they do.

there are much bigger problems in the world than teens writing, reading, and learning.

so no, i don’t think they’re “ruining” substack.

i think adults forgot how much we needed spaces like this too.

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thank you for reading 🤍

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