What is Webworm? And FAQ.

Hi,

While I work a lot in documentary (with things like Tickled, Dark Tourist and Mister Organ) and podcasting (Flightless Bird), my main focus is Webworm.

Webworm is the place I come back to my primary joys — writing, and investigative journalism.

It's me worming my way into the kinds of stuff you may know me for: Being curious, being persistent, and holding the bad guys to account.

When you sign up, my work comes directly to your inbox.

Me, to you.

Webworm is where I broke stories about the systemic abuse going on New Zealand’s biggest megachurch Arise, about billion dollar toy company Zuru successfully obtaining anonymous details of its detractors, and about celebrity IT-brand Lonely descending into QAnon chaos.

I also write extensively on conspiracy theory culture spanning the globe, and the systematic problems found in megachurches and Evangelical Christianity (which often combines with conspiracy culture).

You can find some of my favourite Webworms over the last four years here.

All of my most important work — the stuff that is of public interest — is free. This is incredibly important to me. A paywall should never be in the way between readers and important stories.

That said — Webworm is powered by paying subscribers, so if it doesn’t cause you any financial hardship, consider paying for it monthly or annually.

Paying readers empower my work by giving me the time and resources to do what I do — which includes accessing legal advice when I need it (and I do, trust me).

In return for their generosity, paying Webworm subscribers get access to my more personal writing — like my struggle with memory and quest to find my Serbian stock-model twin, and guest columns like the monthly Totally Normal.

You also get behind-the-scenes pieces about my documentary work (like ‘Dark Tourist Season Two: what could have been’ and ‘Tickled 2: This Time It’s War’).

I also host AMAs where we can chat things out — and you get access to exclusive Webworm clothing I release throughout the year. 

Sometimes my newsletters for paying members get extra weird, like my conversation with a cannibal, or when I explain why a Canadian killer started writing to me from prison. 

Finally, as a paying member you also get to take part in the thriving Webworm community. The comments section here is the smartest and most polite place I’ve ever found online, populated by a diverse range of people from around the planet.

A paid membership is $6.99 a month (USD), or $69.69 for one year (this saves you 17%). Only ever pay for Webworm if it doesn’t cause you any kind of financial hardship.

If you are mega-rich, you can sign up for $666 a month. Only do this if you have insufferable amounts of money and want to feel less guilty about it by giving some to independent journalism.

A Webworm FAQ

I was signed up for Webworm back when it was on Substack - what do I have to do?

Absolutely nothing. I moved you – and all your payment details – over to Ghost. I did all the admin, so you didn't have to. Whatever your deal was before - it holds. You were a paying member? You still are - some amount, same payment cycle. On the free list? You still are. You were signed up at a discounted rate because you're a student or on a benefit? You still are.

Over on Substack, I was going through a rough time and signed up as a full member at a discounted rate you offered. When I look in my account settings, it says I am a full member - but at the full price too! What happened to my discounted rate?

Please don't panic. You are still paying the discounted price.

If you were on a discounted rate on Substack (due to being a student, or on a benefit, or just in a rough patch) - that discounted rate followed you here. Now in your profile, it's going to show you that you're on the "full member" tier (and price) - but please know, you're still getting that full membership on whatever discounted rate you've always been on. The fact your discounted price not being displayed to you is just an annoying limitation with the migration process. If you have any questions on this, email me: davidfarrier@protonmail.com

Webworm is not arriving in my inbox! What gives?

Check your spam, then check your account settings, to make sure email is set to on.

What has changed for me, the reader, with Webworm now on Ghost, not Substack?

Basically, very little. I think I'll occasionally post website-only stuff on webworm.co (like this piece I just put online about Michael Organ's political manifesto). Um, the main difference is that you can't read Webworm on the Substack app anymore, so there's no risk you'll get recommended any by Nazi shit, medical misinformation, or anti-trans BS.

I signed up at a discounted price you offered (thank you). However, I've received an e-mail notifying me that my sub is due to renew, and when I sign in I see that I'm listed as having a "full membership" at $69.69 a year, which I think is the standard full price…?

Your discount stands – that doesn't change. Annoyingly Ghost just can't communicate that very well beyond, "Hey, You Have a Full Membership Worth This Much!"

Other than paid subs, how else can we pad that legal war chest? I hate that our lives are, unfortunately, so entangled with the power that be The Algorithm. How can we help mitigate the loss of that for Webworm?

As I mentioned up top, you can always give a one-off tip to Webworm. For me, an ongoing subscription is always best, purely because it lets me map out my year a little and have more stability. But who says no to a tip? Thank you.

I really want to be a full member to take part in the community here, and to support Webworm, but I just can't afford it.

Never, ever pay for full Webworm if things are tight. That is my nightmare. Email me and I will sort you out: davidfarrier@protonmail.com

I like the comment section, what happened to that?

It's still here - nothing has changed. If you're a paid up member, you get to comment under any Webworm piece as per usual - including in today's AMA. Just make sure you're logged in, and you're off to the races!

When I comment here I don't have my cute little profile photo, how do I get one?

You can create a free account at Gravatar.com, using whatever email you use for Webworm. Gravatar ("Globally Recognized Avatar") links your email to an image, so when you interact with a website that supports Gravatar, your avatar automatically appears next to your comments. I did it, and it seems to work great.

Apologies if this is dumb or should be obvious… is Ghost an app we should download? Or will it just be interactive (comments, etc.) via the email? Assuming I can just go ahead and delete the Substack app?

Great question! As far as Webworm is concerned, you can go ahead and delete the Substack app. There is no "App" for Ghost - Webworm is best read:
1) In your email inbox
2) On the website: www.webworm.co
You can comment, as per usual, from both those places.

And as Webworm reader Robin pointed out, here is a fun little idea:

"For those who want a Ghost app you should be able to install the website as an app! Open the Webworm home page in your browser, look for 'Add to Device" or 'App > Install as app' or similar in the browser options/settings. It will just add the web page in a container with a dedicated Webworm launch icon, you can add to homescreen or taskbar etc but that might be enough."

I want to find and read one of your old pieces! What happens to the old Webworms? Are they gone?!

They are not gone. They all live happily at www.webworm.co. There is a search option so you can look up keywords to find old pieces.

I'm not getting Webworm emails in my inbox. How do I fix it? I am just repeating this as it's important!

Two things to try. First, check that you Webworm settings are set to receive emails:

-Head to www.webworm.co
-If you're not signed in already - click "sign in" in the top right
-Click "account" in the top right
-Next to "emails" click "manage", and check you're set to receive emails

If that doesn't work, then check your Spam folders. There's all sorts of weird stuff in there, possibly including emails from me that got relegated to spam (sad).

If they're not in there either, your internet service provider may be blocking them, which is entirely out of my control (double sad!) and you're best bet is getting each fresh Webworm by visiting the site: webworm.co

Still having issues? Email me: davidfarrier@protonmail.com.

Can I change the e-mail address that Webworm gets delivered to?

Definitely.

-Head to www.webworm.co
-If you're not signed in already, click "sign in" in the top right, then sign in (using the email address you're currently using to subscribe)
-Click "account" in the top right
-Next to your email address click "edit"

What if I get bombarded with email notifications whenever anyone replies to a comment I leave here? I hate notifications.

Easy – just go to the Webworm website, click into your account options, and click "manage" next to "emails" – where you can turn things on and off.

Thanks for reading,

David.