SPOTUMDCOMM3512022
Dec 3, 2022
Read Martin Lorentzon's recent Washington Post opinion piece on Spotify's censorship policies and Spotify's response to misinformation on its platform
By Martin Lorentzon
When compared to other companies in the music industry, censorship is not a word in Spotify’s vocabulary. Spotify is dedicated to providing a platform where creators can express unique ideas and connect with likeminded people. Censorship facilitates the exact opposite sentiment. The suppression of speech, writing, or expression of ideas is a direct antagonist to Spotify’s goal.
Spotify’s stance on unrestrained creativity has been questioned since the service’s launch in 2008. Critics cite the scandal surrounding Joe Rogan’s Spotify podcast as an example of what can result from a lack of restrictions on creators. The Rogan scandal resulted from misinformation the podcast host spread about COVID-19 vaccines in May of 2022.
In response to the misinformation, Spotify removed episodes of Rogan’s podcast that contained COVID-19 misinformation from the service. Many artists and industry critics were not satisfied with Spotify’s response and called for Rogan to be removed from the service entirely. Spotify explained its terms for removal: if they spread the opinion that the pandemic is a hoax or if they intentionally encourage people to get infected.
Following the Rogan controversy, Spotify has decided it does not want to play the part of “content censor” but will instead provide guidelines for creators to follow about what content is forbidden from the platform. These rules outline content that is prohibited on the service (dangerous, deceptive, sensitive, and illegal content) and how creators who break the rules can be punished.
Spotify recently created a Safety Advisory Council to advise future company policy, safety-feature development, and equity. Spotify hopes that the council, along with its existing guidelines, will ensure that the platform stays open and safe for all users and creators. Though these are steps in the right direction, Spotify’s values force it to walk a thin line between no control and unnecessary control over creator expression.
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