CEO Daniel Ek revealed on Sunday that Spotify customers will notice a new content warning airing prior of any podcast episodes referencing Covid-19.
The announcement comes after Neil Young's catalog was removed from the service in protest of Joe Rogan's show, which has been accused of disseminating false information. Joni Mitchell, in sympathy with Young, said she would request that her music be taken down as well.
In his speech, Ek emphasized Spotify's responsibility to strike a balance between supporting content creators and safeguarding listener safety without acting as a censor.
“Based on the feedback over the last several weeks, it’s become clear to me that we have an obligation to do more to provide balance and access to widely-accepted information from the medical and scientific communities guiding us through this unprecedented time,” he wrote.
The addition of the content warning comes on top of the company's long-standing platform standards and a promise to try ways to highlight those restrictions "to raise awareness around what’s acceptable and help creators understand their accountability."
“We are working to add a content advisory to any podcast episode that includes a discussion about COVID-19,” Ek said. “This advisory will direct listeners to our dedicated COVID-19 Hub, a resource that provides easy access to data-driven facts, up-to-date information as shared by scientists, physicians, academics, and public health authorities around the world, as well as links to trusted sources. This new effort to combat misinformation will roll out to countries around the world in the coming days.”
Without mentioning Rogan, Prince Harry and Megan Markle's Archwell issued a statement on Sunday morning expressing their worry about Covid-19 disinformation on Spotify. The two have a reported $25 million deal with Spotify to produce podcasts.
Rogan reportedly has a $100 million deal with the streaming service to license his program.