The Friend Link is an important feature, especially if you post to your social media networks or email lists. That’s because without bypassing the paywall—per the Friend Link—users on X/Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and your other social networks will be unable to read the articles. Moreover, granting access to read the full articles—per the Friend Link—may encourage non-members in your social networks to become part of the Medium and Illumination community. That’s a win-win!