Proposal for Episode-Based Enforcement on Podcasts Instead of Full Takedowns

[Wxnter]

I’d like to recommend a more fair and effective approach to how Spotify handles violations on podcast content, especially for creators who reupload episodes from platforms like YouTube.

Right now, if a single episode of a podcast violates Spotify’s Terms of Service or copyright policies, the entire podcast can be removed. This can be extremely frustrating for creators, especially when the issue is minor or unintentional. Hours of work and dozens of clean episodes can be lost because of just one mistake.

A better system would be to remove only the specific episode that breaks the rules and notify the creator about the reason for removal. This way, creators have a chance to learn and fix issues without losing their entire podcast.

To ensure platform safety, Spotify could implement a warning or strike system — for example, if 3 to 4 episodes are taken down within a 90-day period, then the entire podcast could be at risk of removal. This strikes a balance between protecting the platform and giving creators a fair warning system. For serious violations (like hate speech or illegal content), full removal can still happen immediately.

This kind of episode-based enforcement would support creators while keeping Spotify safe and compliant, and it would encourage quality control without being overly harsh.