PTC Statement on Spotify’s New Hate Content Policy

Paul Porter, an Advisory Board Member of the Parents Television Council, founder of Rap Rehab, and co-founder of Industry Ears, offered a statement today regarding Spotify’s announcement of its new Hate Content and Hateful Conduct Policy. ( Links to Rap Rehab, Industry Ears, Spotify's Hate Content and Hateful Conduct Policy. ) "Spotify says its users will no longer be able to find R. Kelly's music on any of the streaming service's editorial or algorithmic playlists. In a statement to Billboard Magazinee, Spotify said Kelly’s music "will still be available on the service, but Spotify will not actively promote it. We don’t censor content because of an artist’s or creator’s behavior, but we want our editorial decisions -- what we choose to program -- to reflect our values. When an artist or creator does something that is especially harmful or hateful, it may affect the ways we work with or support that artist or creator." “Spotify says it has standards, but out of millions of titles, the company is only using it once? I applaud Spotify for publicly stating its new Hate Content and Hateful Conduct policy. Its actions today are an urgently-needed first step for social and corporate responsibility. But Spotify’s next steps will prove to be even more important, as it will demonstrate just how committed the company is to living by its new policy,” said Mr. Porter. “R. Kelly’s alleged conduct is disgraceful, and music platforms like Spotify need to act responsibly in their promotion of his work. But when other artists routinely celebrate sexual violence, murder, misogyny and other conduct that also fits within Spotify’s policy guidelines, those artists must also be held to account. I call on Spotify to take the bold steps necessary to implement its new policy more broadly. And I call on all other distribution platforms to adopt and adhere to a similar policy. We can and should be responsible without being censorial.”