Spotify to place information labels on podcasts about covid-19

Spotify will place so-called content advisory labels on podcasts that contain a discussion about Covid-19. These labels direct listeners to a specific guide to covid-19 on Spotify, which provides factual information about the virus.

These content advisory labels will be available worldwide on Spotify in the coming days. The purpose of these labels is to ‘fight disinformation’. Daniel Ek, Spotify’s founder and CEO, says Spotify is the first major podcast platform to launch such an initiative. This move is likely in response to criticism about how the platform handled American Joe Rogan’s podcasts.

His well-listened show, called the Joe Rogan Experience, for which Spotify paid more than $100 million last year, has recently received quite a bit of criticism, as Rogan regularly invites guests to the show who express controversial opinions about Covid-19 vaccinations. Doctors called on Spotify to do something about this misinformation and musician Neil Young decided to remove his music from the platform in protest. Some others followed his lead. Young emphasized that he is passionate about freedom of expression and opposed to censorship, but that he no longer wanted his music to support a platform that spreads harmful information.

Spotify has also published platform rules, in addition to the existing terms and conditions, which the company says are intended to ensure that “everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience.” This is a representation of what the music platform considers dangerous, misleading, sensitive and illegal content, including concrete examples thereof and the call to avoid such cases. One of the points is to avoid content that disseminates dangerous false or misleading medical information that may pose health risks, citing Covid-19, among others. Spotify says violations could lead to the removal of the content.