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The veteran Canadian musician urged the platform to remove its content from the catalog if it did not stop broadcasting Joe Rogan’s podcast, one of the most listened to by US citizens, which expresses conspiracy theories about the coronavirus and issues messages against vaccines. . The streaming company argued that it must strike a balance between “listeners’ safety and creators’ freedom” and said they expect Young again “in the future.”
This Wednesday, January 26, the artist Neil Young announced through a message on his website that his music will be removed from Spotify due to disagreement with the platform, which he accused of managing the “misinformation” about Covid-19.
It happens after the Canadian demanded that the company remove its content from the catalog if it did not stop broadcasting the podcast ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’, by presenter Joe Rogan, which is considered the most popular in the United States and who is He blames him for spreading false news regarding the coronavirus and giving a message against vaccination.
“Spotify has become the home of dangerous misinformation about Covid-19, lies sold for money,” said Young, who urged other musicians to distance themselves from the streaming service as well.
The singer took this position after learning of a letter signed by 270 US doctors and scientists warning Spotify that it was giving rise to and disseminating messages that eroded public trust in scientific research and in the criteria of health recommendations.
In his defense, Young also thanked the Warner record company for accompanying him in this decision despite the monetary loss that this will cause them, given that the income from Spotify meant 60% of the total generated by its streaming catalog.
platform posture
The company’s spokesman confirmed to various outlets on Wednesday that they are in the process of removing Neil Young songs from their service and assumed the continuity of the Joe Rogan podcast. “We regret Neil’s decision to remove his music, but we hope to welcome him back soon,” he said.
The company also justified its position in this case by saying that Spotify has a responsibility to “maintain the balance between the safety of listeners and the creative freedom of content creators.”
In addition, he added that since the start of the pandemic, the streaming company has removed more than 20,000 podcast episodes that were linked to Covid-19, complying with its content standards.
Rogan’s show is offered exclusively on the platform after Spotify acquired it in 2020 for $100 million, but has since been repeatedly criticized for his conspiracies against the pandemic and encouraging listeners not to get vaccinated.
with EFE