[Other] Toggle on/off the dynamic background color of the lyrics feature.

[joechou188]

Hi,

It’s a bit sad to see the similar ideas have been closed. But it shows that other folks have the same feeling as me. We all enjoyed the lyrics function. However, some of the background colors are too bright to watch.

I was hoping that there is a toggle to turn on/off the dynamic color. And, when turning it off, I can choose a color I like as the fixed background color.

Thank you!

[NickRSA]

I must clarify that I have no intention of stifling your opinion; however, this forum is designated for offering constructive suggestions to Spotify. If you're not directly impacted by this issue, it's not your role to question its legitimacy here or discredit legitimate complaints experienced by real people with real conditions. The focus should be on inclusivity and solving a critical accessibility problem—a problem that has received overwhelming support and poses unquestionable health risks, far beyond mere inconvenience and clearly deviating from industry and societal norms.

I'm not merely calling for a convenient quality-of-life update; this is about genuine control and accessibility. So far, neither you nor Spotify has offered any meaningful engagement or solutions.

Here are some alternative solutions, including those you've previously mentioned as well as additional proposals:

• Allow users to toggle background colours off for a neutral grey, making white text less problematic.
• Let users adjust contrast, saturation, or brightness. (While more complex, it's still a viable option)
• Stick to your current colour scheme but ensure it aligns with industry standards.
• Give users control over lyric colours. (Though it offers control, it also invites potential user error)

The image displayed above (posted by @tum2X) is literally painful to look at. Those of us who suffer from light sensitivity or other visual impairments can attest to the urgency of this issue, supported overwhelmingly by community feedback.

Your claim that there are no neon colours is easily debunked by scrolling up just two posts. If we're going to have an open dialogue, let it be rooted in fact, not uninformed opinions.

The issue at hand isn't about what competitors are doing—two wrongs certainly don't make a right. This discussion should remain focused on Spotify's responsibility to its user base, irrespective of industry practices that might be equally flawed.

In response to the guidelines you shared:

• Helping artists. (Irrelevant to this issue)
• Data and other information we've collected. (No additional data collection needed)
• Research, focus groups, and surveys. (Existing medical and industry research supports this request)
• Feedback in the Community and other support channels. (Evidently, here we are)
• Overall short- and long-term business strategy. (Should this strategy knowingly perpetuate harm or exclusion despite public calls for change, it not only raises legal and ethical concerns but also paves the way for potential class action litigation—something I, for one, would find entirely justified.)

Your comment about not expecting changes "in a flash" borders on absurdity. We're at day 1062. If the Flash took this long to move from point A to point B, we'd rename the franchise "Snail."

With nearly a decade in software engineering, I can attest that three years for implementing such changes is far from "a flash."

The unfortunate truth is that companies such as Spotify often deprioritise issues of this nature due to their immediate revenue implications, which raises serious ethical questions about corporate responsibility and values. While I understand the financial considerations from a business standpoint, the moral implications cannot be ignored. Particularly when the resolution appears straightforward and the associated costs are negligible—certainly well within the means of forgoing the revenue from a single subscription—the ethical lapse becomes all the more glaring.

Your willingness to wait an additional three years for what should be a relatively quick implementation is perplexing. From my perspective, such prolonged inaction is not merely inconvenient—it's utterly indefensible.

I eagerly anticipate engaging in productive dialogues focused on viable solutions for this critical issue. Ongoing support from the community remains essential. I sincerely hope that future conversations in this forum will be respectful, inclusive, and constructive, based on factual information rather than unsupported opinions. Finally, it would be highly appreciated if someone from Spotify could formally acknowledge our collective concerns.

TL;DR:

I'm urging Spotify to address an accessibility issue that poses health risks and has strong community support. This is not a minor inconvenience but a pressing problem that demands immediate attention. Various solutions have been proposed, yet some community members and Spotify itself have been unresponsive. Nearly three years of inaction on this critical issue is unacceptable. I'm calling for informed, respectful dialogue, especially from those resistant to meaningful change, and an acknowledgement from Spotify.

[tum2X]

Let users adjust contrast, saturation, or brightness. (While more complex, it's still a viable option)

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Will it help them if they did this on their own devices?

And what if the lyric background is the album art, but a darkened close-up?

[NickRSA]

Will it help them if they did this on their own devices?

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Would users be expected to implement this feature within the Spotify application, or is this intended to be configured at the device level? Several nuances merit attention, including the various platforms Spotify operates on: web-based applications, desktop software—a web application encapsulated in Chromium, to be precise—as well as Android and iOS systems.

While I remain open to virtually any solution, my inclination leans towards the most straightforward approach. This is primarily to mitigate any adverse effects on Spotify's financial health and to reduce the extent of required testing, an aspect I understand to be of paramount importance.

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And what if the lyric background is the album art, but a darkened close-up?

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This proposition seems eminently reasonable to me, arguably serving as the most cogent approach. Not only does it preserve a semblance of aesthetic vibrancy—who doesn't appreciate visually engaging elements?—but it also aligns with what I had initially envisaged for such a feature. Numerous open-source utilities, which Spotify has a history of leveraging, can readily accomplish this with minimal developmental overhead. Should the company opt for an in-house solution devoid of external packages, the additional time investment would be, at most, negligible.

The consideration of accessibility guidelines such as WCAG 2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0) is critically important, especially in an era marked by rapid technological advancements. Originally intended for web-based applications, the scope of WCAG 2 has evolved to include a wider range of software platforms. It should be noted that WCAG 2 is part of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), a comprehensive framework developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which has been offering recommendations on this subject since as early as December 2008. The newer iteration, WCAG 2.1, followed in 2018. Furthermore, WCAG 2 is a successor to WCAG 1, a standard that has been in place since May 1999. The longevity of these guidelines underscores their importance and adaptability over time.

The appeal for improved accessibility is far from a unilateral request. It is substantiated by contributions from diverse research teams and industry leaders, among whom are:

• Ben Caldwell, Trace R&D Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Michael Cooper, W3C
• Loretta Guarino Reid, Google, Inc.
• Gregg Vanderheiden, Trace R&D Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Wendy Chisholm, W3C
• John Slatin, Accessibility Institute, University of Texas at Austin
• Jason White, University of Melbourne

In today's context, adherence to established accessibility standards like WCAG 2 is not an optional exercise but an operational requirement, particularly when services are monetised.

While there is ongoing scientific research regarding the long-term effects of digital eye strain on ocular health, it is widely accepted within the healthcare community that continuous eye strain is not conducive to overall well-being and comfort. Implementing best practices like the 20-20-20 rule serves as a preventive measure aimed at mitigating eye strain and its associated symptoms. Given the rapid pace of our digital lives, it's prudent to err on the side of caution rather than waiting for comprehensive long-term studies to confirm the effects of prolonged digital exposure on our eyes.

Many thanks to tum2X for the constructive feedback in your recent post. Your insights are much appreciated, and I look forward to our ongoing collaborative efforts.

[CrayZblu]

The fact that this has been a problem for so long is not only baffling, but completely unacceptable. Time and time again, I am shown that companies won't even pretend to care about people like me, and it is incredibly frustrating.

This is a genuine accessibility issue, and one that is close to three years running. Spotify, may I remind you of your own accessibility statement?

At Spotify, we celebrate human creativity and strive for our platform to be usable by all people, including a million artists and billions of listeners. By learning from experts and employing people with lived experiences in accessibility, we work to make every encounter with our products inclusive. Together, we aim to empower everyone to create, discover, and be inspired.

Your platform is not "usable by all people." It is not inclusive. These words are empty as long as genuine issues like this go ignored.

[NickRSA]

CrayZblu, your point is astutely observed. Beyond this matter being categorised as a 'Live Idea,' it exposes a grave disregard for accessibility standards. It is important to note that the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) has been around since 1999, dedicated to addressing these very concerns. Despite the ample research and decades of collective effort to promote accessibility, Spotify appears to consider itself exempt from these well-established standards. Such actions not only constitute a significant breach of trust but also display an overt disrespect towards those dependent on these standards for equitable access.

In the link supplied by CrayZblu, an email address is provided for queries or concerns regarding accessibility. For the sake of transparency, I have included below the email that I dispatched, which unequivocally highlights the inaction on this matter and calls for both immediate remedial action and acknowledgement.

To: accessibility-support [at] spotify [dot] com
Subject: Urgent: Addressing Critical Accessibility Issues and WCAG 2.1 Non-Compliance on Spotify Platform

I am writing to express deep concern and disappointment regarding the ongoing accessibility issues on Spotify's platform, particularly for users suffering from conditions like light sensitivity and other visual impairments.

As user CrayZblu aptly pointed out, Spotify's platform is far from being "usable by all people," contradicting your own accessibility commitment. The frustration is palpable among community members, especially those who feel their concerns have been ignored since they were first raised on 5 September 2021.

Furthermore, on 21 March 2022, a moderator named Novy posted an update on page 4 of the forum thread acknowledging the votes and feedback, promising that internal teams at Spotify were now aware. However, we're now on page 15, and there has been no further feedback. It's clear that Spotify simply doesn't care about accessibility. Over 140 posts have been made collectively by the community on this issue, and yet there has been no form of recognition or engagement from Spotify.

The silence and lack of action not only raise ethical concerns but could also lead to legal repercussions, including the risk of class-action lawsuits should inaction result in real damage. I'd urge Spotify to either resolve this issue or remove their accessibility commitment. It is unethical and repugnant to make claims about encouraging inclusivity when your actions—or lack thereof—suggest otherwise.

I am eagerly awaiting Spotify's prompt response and immediate action to remedy these critical accessibility issues in line with WCAG 2.1 guidelines. The community's collective voice deserves recognition, and the time for action is now.

Kind regards,

{REDACTED} / NickRSA

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[tum2X]

What are your thoughts on Spotify displaying the lyrics this way?

[NickRSA]

While the proposed approach is both clever and aligns exceptionally well with Spotify's brand aesthetic, it does raise potential issues, such as inconsistencies when faced with bright backgrounds or images, particularly in low-light conditions. A more complex solution could involve dynamically adjusting the overlay based on the general colour and brightness of the image. However, it's important to acknowledge that this would add extra overhead. Given that Spotify's current engagement levels are less than optimal, my personal inclination would be towards solutions that are simpler, more cost-effective, and quicker to implement, despite this idea being one of the best so far.

[NickRSA]

I'd like to emphasise the significance of this matter once more. Despite sending an email on Tuesday and receiving no reply, I've felt compelled to create a post on Twitter/X. I'm not requesting anything extravagant; my simple ask is to cease causing discomfort to my eyes (and 548 others based on votes at the time of posting as well as 140+ comments). Here's the link to the post for your reference: https://twitter.com/cnwileman/status/1703040278817296534

[tum2X]

What is a better alternative lyric display method for Spotify users to the solid "moderately bright" background color?

The Musixmatch app's...

or YouTube Music's?

[Barseb]

Hey Spotify team, hope you make some changes with this topic, is really annoying to watch when you have a bright color in front...