Ask HN: How can I delete a Substack account in Australia?

Hello,

Since 10th December, Substack introduced age verification to login to your account. Unfortunately this breaks the process of deleting an account (which requires you to login).

How can I delete my account without completing the video streamed mug shot age verification process?

[email protected] autoreply directs you to substack.com/contact -- which also requires you to pass age verification first.

The substack AI chatbot is useless - no hope of reaching a human. The process for cancelling a deceased account doesn't work either as the chatbot can't look up my account using my email address (presumably it is frozen until age verification). Tor and VPNs don't work as my profile includes my location in Australia, and my email address is Australian.

Any ideas? I'm about to cancel my credit card as a last resort.

5 points | by freefrog334433 2 days ago

3 comments

  • Ninjasaan 9 hours ago
    I have been advised to use the following template, which I have just now sent. I'll report back with what happens...

    email: [email protected] (and cc [email protected])

    "I am an Australian resident requesting the immediate deletion of my account and all associated data under the Australian Privacy Principles (APP 12). Substack has made it impossible for me to delete my account via the standard interface without submitting to invasive biometric verification, which I refuse to do. I am instructing you to terminate my account associated with this email address immediately. If you require verification, verify this request by replying to this email address, which proves my ownership of the account. If you refuse to delete my data without government ID, I will lodge a formal complaint with the OAIC (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) for holding my data hostage."

  • Ninjasaan 15 hours ago
    I am having the exact same issue. Absolutely nothing can be done without taking photos of all angles of my face to be submitted to Persona Identities, with no other options available. I can log into accounts on any other website as normal, but Substack mow demands biometrics to even enter profile settings, which is the only way to unsubscribe or delete an account.
  • Nextgrid 2 days ago
    Email their legal department?