Spotify to Label Podcasts that Discuss COVID-19 as a Follow-Up to Joe Rogan Controversies

Moving forward, Spotify will begin labelling podcasts that discuss COVID-19. The decision was made as a follow-up to the recent controversies surrounding The Joe Rogan Experience.

Last week, artist Neil Young pulled his catalogue of music from Spotify over the belief that Joe Rogan was using his podcast to spread misinformation on COVID-19. Since that time, other artists including Joni Mitchell have begun doing the same. As a response to the criticisms, Spotify has chosen to add labels to podcasts moving forward, as reported by The Verge.

According to the report, the labels in place will redirect users to Spotify’s COVID-19 page, which includes useful pieces of information and resources on the pandemic. Additionally, Spotify hopes to take this chance to be more transparent with its user base. As such, Spotify’s COVID-19 content policy is now available to view.

The policy in place ensures that creators abide by the set rules otherwise they will have their content taken down. With multiple strikes, the creator can be suspended or banned. As The Verge‘s report states, an internal memo concluded that The Joe Rogan Experience does not “meet the threshold for removal.”

Spotify’s COVID-19 content policy states that it prohibits any content “asserting that AIDS, COVID-19, cancer or other serious life-threatening diseases are a hoax or not real.” It goes on to detail that content encouraging the use of bleach products as a cure or approved vaccines will cause death can result in a suspension or ban.

CEO of Spotify Daniel Ek has also taken to Twitter to discuss the latest controversies. In a tweet, Ek says that the company has “heard the criticism” and are “implementing changes to help combat misinformation.”

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