Spotify: Joe Rogan and Neil Young Covid controversy explained, how will content advisory work - who is CEO?

The CEO of Spotify - Daniel Ek - has revealed Spotify will introduce a ‘content advisory’ to podcast episodes that discuss Covid-19
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek (right) has announced Spotify will be introduce a ‘content advisory’ to podcast episodes that discuss Covid-19 (Photos: Getty Images)Spotify CEO Daniel Ek (right) has announced Spotify will be introduce a ‘content advisory’ to podcast episodes that discuss Covid-19 (Photos: Getty Images)
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek (right) has announced Spotify will be introduce a ‘content advisory’ to podcast episodes that discuss Covid-19 (Photos: Getty Images)

On Sunday (30 January), the platform’s chief executive Daniel Ek issued a statement to say it is working on a “new effort to combat misinformation”, which will roll out to countries around the world “in the coming days”.

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The core of this new strategy is a content advisory that can be added to any podcast episode that includes a discussion about Covid-19.

But how will it work, and why the controversy in the first place?

Here is everything you need to know.

Why is Spotify under fire?

The streaming giant came under increased fire last week when musician Neil Young directed to have all of his music removed, citing The Joe Rogan Experience’s “false information about vaccines” as a reason.

Spotify currently hosts the controversial podcast, which sparked outrage for repeatedly spreading Covid conspiracy theories and for promoting the use of ivermectin to treat Covid symptoms – an anti-parasitic medicine used mainly on horses which has not been proven to be effective for treating coronavirus.

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Young said: “I am doing this because Spotify is spreading false information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them … They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.”

Neil Young put forth an ultimatum for the music streaming service (Photo: ALICE CHICHE/AFP via Getty Images)Neil Young put forth an ultimatum for the music streaming service (Photo: ALICE CHICHE/AFP via Getty Images)
Neil Young put forth an ultimatum for the music streaming service (Photo: ALICE CHICHE/AFP via Getty Images)

Following Young’s exit from Spotify, fellow musician Joni Mitchell followed suit, saying it was in “solidarity” with him.

She wrote: “Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are now also “expressing concerns” to Spotify about Covid-19 misinformation but say they will continue to work with the platform.

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The couple signed a lucrative deal with the streaming giant to host and produce podcasts, estimated to be worth around 25 million US dollars (£18 million), in late 2020.

How will the content advisory work?

Listeners who access content that talks about the virus will be directed to a dedicated website 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”.

Ek said Spotify has “a critical role to play in supporting creator expression while balancing it with the safety of our users.

“In that role, it is important to me that we don’t take on the position of being content censor while also making sure that there are rules in place and consequences for those who violate them,” he added.

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Spotify’s rules for creators will also be made public for the first time, telling users that posting “dangerous content” which “promotes dangerous false or dangerous deceptive medical information that may cause offline harm or poses a direct threat to public health” is not permitted.

However, breaching these rules may not necessarily result in the “violative content being removed from Spotify”.

Who is Joe Rogan?

Joe Rogan has consistently been accused of spreading harmful misinformation about the virus (Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)Joe Rogan has consistently been accused of spreading harmful misinformation about the virus (Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)
Joe Rogan has consistently been accused of spreading harmful misinformation about the virus (Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)

Spotify acquired The Joe Rogan Experience podcast in 2020, reportedly for more than 100 million dollars (£77 million).

Stand-up comedian Rogan, 54, has previously attracted controversy for suggesting the young and healthy should not get vaccinated.

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Rogan has said he will try to “balance out” the opinions expressed on his show following controversy around it spreading misinformation about Covid-19.

In a video posted to Instagram, Rogan said he supported plans by the streaming giant Spotify to add content advisories to episodes that discuss Covid.

Responding to claims he has spread dangerous misinformation about the virus, the podcaster said he was “interested in having conversations with people that have differing opinions” and was not focused on “only talking to people that have one perspective”.

He apologised if he offended anyone and added that he “was not trying to promote misinformation” and said he would “try harder to get people with differing opinions” immediately after those with controversial opinions who appear.

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“So my pledge to you is that I will do my best to try to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people’s perspectives so we can maybe find a better point of view,” he said.

“I don’t want to just show the contrary opinion to what the narrative is. I want to show all kinds of opinions so that we can all figure out what’s going on and not just about Covid, but about everything about health, about fitness, wellness, the state of the world itself.”

Who owns Spotify?

Spotify is primarily owned by its founders, Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, who together own 30.6% of shares and command 77.4% of the voting power.

In December 2017, Spotify and the music arm of Chinese entertainment group Tencent, agreed to swap stakes and make an investment in each other's music businesses.

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Another key shareholder is Baillie Gifford & Co, a Scottish-based money management firm.

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