Spotify Recommending Facebook Friends Without Facebook Account Linked

[deadspider187]

Spotify is listing my friends from Facebook as "Who to follow" in the activity panel. I registered for a new account a few days ago and did NOT link my Facebook account. In my Facebook privacy settings, Spotify is not listed as an app that has permissions to my account.

1. How did Spotify get this information?
2. How do I sever this tie and ensure that Spotify does not have any access to my Facebook account? Thanks.

[StevenR]

Have you subscribed to the playlists of any of those friends? If you have then Spotify will pick them up as suggestions to follow.

Or, if you have a similar taste in music to some of your Facebook friends then Spotify may pick them up as a result of that - I've had recommendations to follow users who have listened some of the same artists as me before.

[deadspider187]

Thanks for the suggestion, but no, I have not followed any playlists, person, artist or album.  If I click on "Follow" in the left navigation pane, and click on "Find Friends" ALL of my Facebook friends are listed there, but there is no Facebook account linked.

[gamerman854]

I am experiencing the same issue.

When I log in (from a clean install!) using my Spotify account, which is not linked to Facebook in any way, it automatically loads my profile picture, and populates my "Who to Follow" with my Facebook friends.

I think the people at Spotify have some explaining to do. I am very much dissatisfied with them at the present time.

[Peter__]

What is your Spotify username?

[gamerman854]

Sorry if this is rude, but I do not wish to release that information without a reason to do so.

[Peter__]

Nope no worries at all! If you could get in touch with the Spotify support team directly using the online contact form they will be able to look into this in a little more detail for you.

If you get an automated email reply back directing you to the community or help pages, you need to reply directly to that email (even if its from no-reply) and one of the customer services agents will get back to you as soon as possible.

Alternatively, if you prefer support via Twitter, please tweet @SpotifyCares.

[gamerman854]

Sounds like a plan, thank you.

I'll reply with any updates to this issue.

[deadspider187]

Please do keep us updated. I find this issue alarming. I hope there's an explanation.

[Peter__]

Just to confirm guys, you are logging in using your Spotify username (which is not your email address) and your Spotify password?

[gamerman854]

That is correct, I am logging in with my Spotify username and password.

[gamerman854]

I got a response from Spotify support, but they simply copied and pasted the instructions from this page:

https://support.spotify.com/us/learn-more/faq/#!/article/reinstallation-of-spotify

BTW, that still didn't work.

For whatever reason, doing the above process, combined with clearing out all cookies and other local data from my web browser (Chrome for me) did the trick. After the clean install and the local data wipe, I was able to login using my Spotify account without any links to Facebook.

Still, the bigger question has not been answered. Why is Spotify linking to Facebook through browser data without the user's consent? That is disturbing, and I hope we get a legitimate answer soon.

[Joe]

Keep the email dialogue going with the support guys until you're happy with the outcome. They want you to be happy 🙂

[Peter__]

From my experience, clicking any Spotify link inside Facebook whilst logged into a Spotify only account will link that account to Facebook. Is it possible that is what has happened here?