Spotify Privacy Issues - why do you need access to my photos?

[iamben]

Hey guys - care to comment on this Forbes article?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2015/08/20/spotify-creepy-privacy-policy/

Why do you need access to:

"we may collect information stored on your mobile device, such as contacts, photos, or media files"

And:

"your phone’s GPS location"

I assume this is for more advertising revenue? Can't you just do the music side better rather than selling everyone out? Why do you need access to my entire life (which I'd rather not share - or at least have the choice to share)?

 
EDIT (for people starting at the top): Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has commented on this here - https://news.spotify.com/us/2015/08/21/sorry-2/

[mouthpowerchord]

Just cancelled premium as well.

How about at least an actual explanation? How does accessing my files and contacts help "to tailor improved experiences" or make it easier for me "to enjoy, discover and share more music than ever before?"

The vague non-answer you gave Forbes makes me trust you even less.

[OverHaze]

Competely unacceptable. If this is not rectified I'm moving elsewhere. As it is the app has been deleted.

[ShezaUK]

It's almost as if Spotify want people to cancel and go to Apple Music instead.

I guess I will never understand the culture of this company - do **bleep** that people hate and then totally ignore people, shy away from giving any concrete answers and then move on to the netx **bleep** thing.

Are there actually human beings working at Spotify or are they all emotionless, soul-less dirtbags with no understanding of customer satisfaction?

Seriously what the **bleep**.

[Andehh]

I deeply disagree with the latest terms and conditions, but am half way through a Vodafone contract that I got due to it coming with Spotify.

Now that it looks like I'm leaving Spotify with their latest T&Cs fiasco, I'm trying to see if others have got a reduction in their contract with Vodafone by binning Spotify?

Or.... Swapping Spotify to something like Netflix?

Thanks

[Andehh]

Contacted Vodafone about swapping Spotify to Netflix,utterly ridiculous. I want music NOT for you guys to invade my private life.

[Frostig]

I read your new "Privacy Policy" and I just wanted to say [mod edit]. I of course immediately cancelled my subscription and removed Spotify on my phone and on my computers. I have been a customer to your apparently service since beta. I can't believe my eyes reading the s h i t that is your new policy.

Not only that, I had to press FOUR EFFING TIMES to cancel my subscription. What the actual eff?

[edit] I AM GOING TO http://rd.io

[User2232334]

Ive been to a few Spotify talks and the techies are very friendly and seems like good guys.

This spying stuff comes from people who are concerned with making money. Sometimes those people have a complete disregard for peoples privacy. Users are seen as resources to make money from. The only thing you can do is vote with your wallet and support other companies instead.

[Ambivalence]

You could have voiced your words in a mature way, like the others. But no, you had to act like a baby. Let me say this again, they will ask your permission. The TOS asks for your permission, if your are on iOS you can disable location services. If on android, you can download Purify and purify your apps, removing permissions whilst still using your apps.

Will see you later. Have fun.

[User2232334]

I wanted to write something like this actually but I was more polite. 🙂

[User2232334]

---

@bee- wrote:
You could have voiced your words in a mature way, like the others. But no, you had to act like a baby. Let me say this again, they will ask your permission. The TOS asks for your permission, if your are on iOS you can disable location services. If on android, you can download Purify and purify your apps, removing permissions whilst still using your apps.

Will see you later. Have fun.

---

No.

YOU can do those things since you know about them. Most people will not do anything. This means that Spotify is spying on the massive majority of their userbase, and you are supporting this by continuing to pay for the app.

[Ambivalence]

I don't think you can switch to Netflix, you'll have to stay with it.

However if on iOS, they can only spy on your location if permitted.

If on Android, you can download Purify and purify your apps by removing permissions.

This is slightly inconvenient, but if you want to keep using Spotify, you'll have to do so.

Again, the word is Permission.

[Posterberg]

+1

I just became an ex-customer after several pleasant year as a preium subscriber.

Thanks and goodbye!

[Ambivalence]

Then we'll have to voice it out. Spotify states that they'll do this for improvements with Spotify Connect and Running. Maybe upcoming update?

[Frostig]

Are you seriously that **bleep**ing stupid? They want to steal all your private data even if you pay them each month for several years. **bleep** you too for even beginning to defend this kind of **bleep** behavior.

Their policy is like a big [snip - mod edit] and I just wanted to say that back. I don't give a **bleep** about them.

[Ambivalence]

All my private data can't be shared with them, I do not allow them to do so. Which is illegal if they do. I blocked location services, and they haven't asked me for access to my media since ages ago.

I'm not defending them, it's just the key point is permission. I think this is dumb, but also think it's dumb that other people are overreacting towards it.

[Frostig]

> All my private data can't be shared with them, I do not allow them to do so. Which is illegal if they do. I blocked location services, and they haven't asked me for access to my media since ages ago.

So I have an android and if I have their app installed it automatically allows them to do what the **bleep** the want. And I realise that if I support this sh*t behavior they will just continue to steal more and more data from more and more people.

> I'm not defending them, it's just the key point is permission. I think this is dumb, but also think it's dumb that other people are overreacting towards it.

But you ARE defending them, with you wallet. Of course I am reacting to this since they want to steal EVERY BIT OF THE F*CKING INFORMATION I HAVE. It's not overreacting, it's being a NORMAL EFFING HUMAN.

[Ambivalence]

As I said, if you use android, you can use purify. I'm not going to be bothered putting up with this behavior. I'll guess you can go to Rdio.

[Zxmarty]

Sorry spotify hero to zero your t's & c's are unexceptable let me know when you see sence and not someone else's data....

[Inyourbo]

Before I will end my subscription of SPOTIFY I will give you one chance to motivate why you need the access to all my private data and pictures? I am not willing to give you access to this.

Hans Enjebo

[rage77]

Cancelled. Might come back later if this changes. Not very keen though...