The Outline was an online publication focused on "power", "culture" and the "future" which was a subsidiary of Bustle. It was founded by Joshua Topolsky in 2016. The company did not want to be too reliant on social media distribution, but instead aimed to reach a "smart, influential" readership who would visit its website directly. The articles are visually interactive, and highly optimized for mobile. The interface contains articles represented as a stack of cards that users can swipe through. The company earned income by virtue of its partnerships with 10 to 12 companies a year, as opposed to reliance on a format employing traditional banner ads.