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/

[sondr]

I thought they would revise the privacy policy after Daniel Ek's 'Sorry' blogpost, but they still stick to the "old" new one:

Effective as of 19 August 2015

3.3 Information Stored on Your Mobile Device

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.

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Ek's blogpost gives me nothing as long as the Privacy Policy stands as it does. Thought they would be quick to fix this, seems like they just calm down the customers and goes through with it anyway when nothing real gets done..

Anyone know if they're going to revise the privacy policy?

[Andehh]

It's a competitive market Spotify sits in, they have already tarnished my view on then considerably. I used to be a huge supporter of Spotify, and highly recommended them.

I won't be doing this in future! That's for sure.

[Winster]

At the very least they ought to revert to the original pre 20th August privacy policy whilst they review the situation and (hopefully) come up with T&C's which are acceptable to their subscribers.

All those who have misguidedly accepted the new privacy policy should be put back on the original one.

The "accept our T&C's within 30 days" messages should cease.

They should try communicating a bit more as their CEO's statement was basically meaningless and offered little comfort.

With all of the competition in this sector this looks like a real PR Disaster in the making.

[Winster]

I'm wondering if and when these new terms and conditions are ever going to appear. Spotify have gone very quiet - are they hoping the rebellion is just going to go away?

I know I'm getting fed up with the "you've got x days to accept our new T&C's or else" message.

[TeroV]

Personally, I am not holding my breath, the way I read Daniel Ek's "Sorry" blog message is that they are not really planning to go back on on the essential content of the privacy policy, just to improve the phrasing. The result may or may not be acceptable, time will tell.

In any case, Spotify seems to be hellbent on pushing "smart" features, which I don't have any interest in, all I really want is a music streaming service with a nice UI and a good catalog. So I decided to cancel my Spotify Premium subscription and try one of the competitors at least for a while.

I had been thinking recreating the music collection in another service would be a nightmare, but actually the whole thing was amazingly easy to do. I was able to migrate most of my 800+ playlists, resignation from Spotify was easy (even though they ask for confirmation for about 50 times during the process) and the other service offers the first month of the subscription for free.

The first impressions of the new service are quite positive, I think the UI may actually be nicer than Spotify's. The only feature I have noticed missing is the ability to organize playlists in folders, but that isn't available in the Spotify web player and has been buggy in the other versions anyway, so not a great loss.

I haven't ruled out returning to Spotify, but I think the probability will go down as weeks pass.

[Winster]

TeroV

That all sounds pretty encouraging - dare one ask who you went over to and were there specific proceedures to migrate so successfully?

I got the impression that the one which rhymes with Diamond Geezer had pretty similar, i.e. intrusive privacy policies, to Spotify.

[WildeKarde]

Well it's a bit concerning I only get asked to accept the T&C's on logging in via the desktop PC, the windows phone doesn't have any popup at all.

Are spotify saying it doesn't apply on a windows phone but does on windows PC?

[TeroV]

Winster,

I will send details as pm, I tried to look for the policy on discussing competitor products on the forum but could not find it so I don't know if it is allowed here. (not that Spofiy has seemed to care so far about this discussion...)

[Winster]

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@Winster wrote:

I got the impression that the one which rhymes with Diamond Geezer had pretty similar, i.e. intrusive privacy policies, to Spotify.

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Just re-checked and I might have been wrong about those T&C's.

[Winster]

Spotify have updated their policies 

I don't seem to be able to post a link to it cos they won't let me so please Google it and have a look for yourselves

On first reading it looks OK but I'm not a Lawyer - what does everyone else think?

[Winster]

http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/3/9257805/spotify-privacy-policy-updated-after-backlash

[TeroV]

Seems a lot better, I don't think I would have terminated my subscription if these had been the terms. Anyway,  I already made the switch to another service so I will stay with them at least for a while. Good to know switching back is again an option.

[User2232334]

I havent used Spotify in a few weeks now and Im not missing it. I switched to another service which is not as good but good enough. What I want is a music player.

Spotify wants to build a social music network. You cant combine a social network with privacy. Future versions will add more and more of social features, since the music playback is already there and working.

[TeroV]

My thoughts exactly

[chepp]

Will cancel my family's subscriptions this week. Gone to far down the creepy path.

[Posterberg]

Would be nice if they could offer a music-only player and have another social player.

I think it qould be quite clear to them really fast what the audience actually wants, and would like to PAY for. What they are adding now makes ppl stop wanting to pay.

I am so annoyed by this, I had a service that actually was worth the money. Actually I'd say that it was close to perfect, only thing missing was lossless.

But what we get now is complete crap and I gave up my long subscription about a month ago. Have turned my head to Wimp because of the lossless thing, and it sure sounds amazing but the player itself is quite bad (slow, no folders in playlists, and a lot of music missing) so I'll probably look somewhere else again. It is however hard to find a good player now.

I hope to find something useful soon... I must say that I miss the old Spotify and I would go back if could get what I had...

[zoomer9966]

e

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@tommyvdm wrote:

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.

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excellent. i cancelled also for the same reasosns and also because i cannot turn off notifications and the connect crap. many other, better services available. it's not spotify it's the total idiots who mangage and run it.

[Posterberg]

Please see this thread and give Kudos to the first post if you think that getting a musc-only (no social features) is a good idea. Upvoting this one might get Spotify listening to us for once...

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Live-Ideas/Two-versions-for-PC-Mac-Linux/idi-p/36665

[vvinhas]

I'm cancelling my subscription as well. I won't agree with these terms.

[alexmariaspotif]

You need to stick your F* nose into all calls I make?!

WHAT THE F_UCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT TO PEOPLE'S PRIVACY?

Cancelled account.

FUC_K YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!