Spotify Technology SA (SPOT.N) will add a “content advisory” to any podcast episode that includes discussions about COVID-19, Chief Executive Officer Daniel Ek said, after coming under fire from rock and folk legends for giving voice to misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
“This new effort to combat misinformation will roll out to countries around the world in the coming days,” Ek wrote in a blog post published Sunday. “To our knowledge, this content advisory is the first of its kind by a major podcast platform.”
Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan also expressed their concern to Spotify about COVID-19 misinformation on its platform and are committed to continuing to work with the company, a spokesperson for their Archewell foundation said on Sunday.
The advisory will direct listeners to a COVID-19 hub that contains facts and information from medical and health experts, as well as links to trusted sources.
The move comes after singer-songwriters Neil Young and Joni Mitchell announced they are removing their music from Spotify in protest that the popular streaming service has allowed the airing of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
