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/

[Los_Fabulosos_C]

Years of paying for a subscription and then this. Years worth of playlists lost. I am so angry with spotify I wouldn't stay if they reversed their terms.

[mouthpowerchord]

Finally, an actual reply from Spotify:

https://news.spotify.com/us/2015/08/21/sorry-2/

[TeroV]

Seems like I might re-subscribe "in the coming weeks" after the policy has been revised. I still won't accept the terms as they stand.

[McSugar]

Fully agree with you folks here.

I can understand Google/Facebook going through our data since they are providing free services, but when I am paying don't try to turn me into a product for advertisers. And by the way, I am not at all sold on the "providing better service" bull****.

Considering unsubscribing, but I'll wait for a few days to see Spotify's reaction to this.

PS: I hope you guys don't have Windows 10, if you do, you might wanna check their T&Cs as well

[microview]

"“With your permission, we may collect information stored on your mobile device, such as contacts, photos, or media files. Local law may require that you seek the consent of your contacts to provide their personal information to Spotify, which may use that information for the purposes specified in this Privacy Policy.” – Spotify"

**bleep** you Spotify, I'm outta here. Hello Apple Music.

[potatoewaffle]

Thanks for the reply Spotify, you just saved me from leaving i was about 5 minutes away from un subscribing,

I Appreciate the apology, and your years of great service counts for a lot.

This has obviously been a bad day for you, Don't worry, keep offering a good service but remember, i think i speak for the majority of people on here when i say, we only want the music, if integration requires my information then i would rather not have it, were here for the music that is all.

Still, A Spotify fan

[Bjaerven]

30 days togo, won't accept terms as they are stated now, it looks as I won't resub after years of using this product.
Esp. annoyed of their arrogant attitude, if you don't like it don't use it. A bit different tone of voice now in the open letter, but still p*****!
Not sure I'll be around anyways, terms will have to be revamped quite heavily for that. I don't need/want a photoshop/runkeeper/nsa/musicap, I want a vanilla music app. Extra functions can be optional with clearly stated text, that explains the what/how/why things will be used. Not happy at all.

[Headingleyman]

I will be cancelling my premium service, there is no need for Spotify to access my contacts, photos etc. I pay monthly and have been happy with the service, but snooping is wrong.

[Winster]

potatoewaffle this seems to be a bit premature when you don't even know what the new revised terms and conditions are. I would suggest you read and fully understand them before celebrating. I'm certainly still far from sure of staying with my Premium Subscription and may still cancel my membership entirely.

[frezxud]

Don't trust them, they are lying. They tested how far they can go and failed. 

Now they will wait and try it step by step again.

Before the new changes they also submitted data to labels, who could localize where you're living. If you match this with photos (profile picture ;)), facebook name etc., you will generate an expensive profile ready to be sold.

Check this: http://www.heise.de/forum/heise-online/News-Kommentare/Spotify-aktualisiert-AGB-und-will-mehr-ueber-...

Compare Spotify's terms to terms of competitors and you will see how much they want, what is not required by competitors.

[Redbear123]

So how does this new snoopers' ToS factor in customers who are bound by ndas or confidentiality? Is Spotify GCHQ certified? No?
Then if they start taking images from customers phones then they will very soon start peddling in state secrets... I wonder if their business insurance covers international espionage...

[user-removed]

Did Spotify just went back to their old 2014 privacy policy? 

https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/privacy-policy/

Other languages still show the 19 Aug one.

[tommyvdm]

Dear Spotify,

These proposed terms and conditions in regards of terms and conditions around privacy are frankly disgusting.

Even though it's optional to share all of my personal contacts / photos / location etc on my phone with you, I want nothing to do with a company would even ask for this kind of personal data on a music app.

I'm voting with my feet.

I have cancelled my premium subscription and am uninstalling all Spotify products from my phone and personal computers. Proof herewith. I won't be taking you up on your invitation to come back.

[Musical4Ever]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34016658

'Spotify had said in response that the changes to its privacy policy would help it "tailor improved user experience".

Sensor data, such as how fast the user's phone is moving, helped the Swedish firm develop Spotify Running, a new feature that tailors music playlists to physical activity.

"Spotify is constantly innovating and evolving its service to deliver the best possible experience for our users. This means delivering the perfect recommendations for every moment, and helping you to enjoy, discover and share more music than ever before," Spotify said in an earlier statement.'

Mr Ek: 

I don't need now nor ever will need Spotify's ' recommendations' of music for any moment until time itself ends, I'm quite capable of choosing music myself, so give me the choice whether I want the revised T&C's or without doubt I'll move - That's one of my Terms & Conditions - And I'm going to forward the info of the changes to each & every person to who I've recommended Spotify.

[cmos]

And when  they sensor my P-enis getting hard them play me some Isaac Hayes or what?

[gattaca]

Spotify: your apology is a non-apology with 0 actions taken. The issue of privacy doesn't boil down to poor communication, as you try to pass it off as. From your CEO's blog:

"If you don’t want to share this kind of information, you don’t have to."

Spotify keeps emphasizing my information will not be shared with you if I don't give you permission. I understand that you won't get my contacts' information if I don't give it to you, but what if my contacts give you my information (and hundreds of others) and my photos when I did not consent to that?  

If you're rationalizing that you're doing this to provide better value and to catch up with other services who have been doing the same thing, your customers can also rationalize that we should just stick to Google Music or Apple Music who already have our info to minimize our dispersement of personal data. Did the uproar over bulk collection of data not hint to you that customers value our privacy?

You can set yourself apart by being the company whose product is soley a quality streaming music service, rather than company whose product is both music and customer data. The takeaway you should have gotten is not to invade users' privacy, not that you just needed to improve your communication about invading user's privacy.

[Maroder]

I just opened my Spotify client and was greeted with a dialog to accept the new privacy policies. Normally I would just accept them, but lately I am getting a bit pissed with all this data grabbing going on in the consumer market. So I did read the new policies and Spotify is actually forcing me to cancel my long standing subscription and move to a more convenient, not so prying service. By all means, there are enough alternatives out there, so it should't be a problem finding an adequate replacement.

But I do have to ask: What is wrong with you Spotify? Are the having a seizure of retardness? With the strong competition services just coming out, why this move? Have you got to much customers and want to get rid of some? I am paying good money every month and the only thing I want from this service is to listen to music which I choose from your library. I do not want or need any automated mechanisms grinding my data to find music which might fit to my mood. Stop stuffing this **bleep** down my thought - i do not want it!

A very unsatisfied customer.

[Im_Razorbacked]

Contrary to popular belief, there IS a real solution to your concerns.  Third-party apps like SpotEQ (iOS) give you access to all your Spotify music without sharing your photos, contacts, motion, or location data with anybody.  Problem SOLVED!

[VicN64]

Spotify's response is somewhat disappointing. This really should be an opt in feature (maybe a toggle in the spotify app settings), to enable these new "feature". I really don't like the idea of using another app to turn off settings in spotify. If you care about your users then you'll either make an opt in policy or change your piracy policy.

[smelico]

(posting again as I seem to be having forum issues)

So what happens if I don't upgrade to the latest version? I'm using an old version on two Galaxy S3 phones because the latest versions (several of them) have been too slow. The more features that are added, the slower the app gets, so I use an older version. What's going to happen with older versions? Are people going to be automatically opted into this new "privacy" policy if they haven't upgraded to the latest version?

Also, when you change your privacy policy or terms of service in this way, you should give people an option to cancel and get back a pro-rated amount. I was foolish enough to prepay for a year, and I had been doing that for a few years, but I've learned my lesson. Now you can do whatever you with with the client or your "privacy" policy, and if I cancel due to unwanted conditions I can not get a refund...

I've loved Spotify for years but this is a bit much. Please don't make me break up with you.