Upset

[no-name]

I'm very upset with the new condom adds I'm getting on spotify... I hated the adds in the first place but this and the non stop glitches are the final straw... there are kids on this program... I will be uninstalling spotify as well as telling all my friends about this... don't come back with: " well if you would buy spotify premium you won't have to listen to the adds" because I'm not waisting a single dime on this program.... I'd rather spend a dollar per song on itunes

[JoelMay]

mayerkim and Rubay,

I have the same experience here.  I was listening to Christian praise/worship music when the ad played.  If the ads are based on what music I listen to then they seem to be targeting Christians because I rarely listen to any music not by obviously Christian bands (I do listen to many different genres, not just praise/worship).

Maybe if I were listening to explicit songs about sex then I would expect this, but I have never once even considered listening to anything like that.

[Sam]

JoelMay - For our official response, please take a look at Rorey's post on the previous page.

It's also worth mentioning here that only those over 18 should hear this educational campaign, and we are certainly not targeting our Christian users.

However, please keep the feedback coming. We're always trying to improve the service, so all feedback is gratefully received.

[JoelMay]

Sam, I saw Rorey's post.  He said that Spotify will review the ad guidelines next time they approve an ad like this.  Since he posted that 2 weeks ago I do not know if the one I'm seeing is the same campaign as Rorey was talking about.  If it is a new campaign then our feedback for the guidelines has been ignored.

But we are still without a solution other than not using Spotify or paying to remove offensive content.  What do you suggest the users who do not want to hear the ad do?

[sarcasm]Thank you for the educational ad campaign; my whole workplace, church, and family have learned so much from the ad that played on my Spotify account while they were near me.[/sarcasm]  (I'm joking, but I still find the ad offensive.)

[Dranu]

My goodness was Rorey's post ridiculous!  Educational campaign?  Even if you believe in the use of such a thing through Spotify, who in the world who can use Spotify has not heard of condoms and why does the add have to into a nice long audio talk about sex itself???  It was just an intrusive and sleazy ad plain and simple.

[azza_barbados]

buy premium then ! problem solved !

[JoelMay]

Azza, as someone else said, customers do not pay to support a company that they think makes bad decisions. If I'm going to pay for music then I will find a service that never gives me inappropriate ads, even if it costs more. Also, I can't afford to pay for any entertainment, my money is for needs, rather than enjoyment.

Your answer was more useless than Rorey's. I'm just being being honest.

[chickenmusket]

I changed my age to a lot younger than i actually am on spotify and for awhile they went away, but today they came back . . . c'mon spotify

[Makhaon]

I am hearing them again today as well. I would prefer this campaign just go away. I don't mind the other ads near as much. These are ridiculous, stupid and inappropriate. 

[kmwemyss38]

Thank you for posting this concern! I am a teacher and LOVE using Spotify in my classroom. As an adult, I understand and expect these types of ads, but do not think my 7 year olds need to be hearing this condom ad over and over. About a month ago Spotify was advertizing for some movie where the 2 girls talked about sex or whatnot. It frustrates me that the ads are not more universally appropriate. You would not have condom commercials on during a television show which a child could watch or hear it on the radio - why does Spotify feel the need to allow these on their radio?

[kyleboardman]

I agree with all of this. I go to a Christian university, and I highly doubt that they would approve of condom commericals and foul language being randomly played as I listen to a Chris Tomlin album, nevermind the fact that I personally feel uncomfortable listening to that stuff in the company of my friends. Please, have a personal option to remove those ads while listening, or just nix them altogether!

[J5]

Saturday was the first day I'd ever heard those ads. I was absolutely horrified. So far I've heard that ad twice. If it doesn't go away soon,  I'm going to quit listening to Spotify. 

[Rubay]

It would be more helpful, I think, if you sent a direct complaint to Spotify. I don't think they keep track of anyone's complaints here. They sent me a lame apology and said they were going to play the add "less". Thanks, but that is just stupid. I don't want my kids hearing it at all. Please write spotify asking for better control over what kind of ads we must listen to.

[JoelMay]

Rubay, you are lucky that you even got a reply from Spotify. I emailed them and got no response at all. In the forums we have had some moderators see this topic and reply (uselessly).

[Rubay]

How is a form letter with a lie lucky? I changed my age on my account to b. 1998 and it's still playing. I wrote a letter to Durex telling them I'll never buy another one of their condoms again because of this tasteless ad that Spotify won't remove. They can go have sex with themselves FAST. You know it will feel real good cuz they have condoms that will slow down their orgasm.  How do you like that, Spotify? You're gonna broadcast that smut into my home but I bet you won't leave it on your message board, will you? I'm just about to start calling news stations to see if they will be interested.

[EdwinRohweller]

Sorry, this solution is not good enough. I don't want them at all or I can just stop using your service. I would think about upgrading, but if this is the service I can expect, then I just wont listen to Spotify anymore. Simple. http://www.facebook.com/rohweller

[Jemxsabre]

This add popped up again. I hate it. My parents walked in, and i really DON'T like listening to commercials about good sex while they are around. FIX THIS NOW. I amd extremly upset. I though you guys got rid of this! And i introduced this place to my grandpa and mom and sister! I'll tell my mom to cancel her subscription if this continues. These kind of commercials you air shows you don't deserve our money. 

[clf23]

I was the 2nd person on this thread to complain.  I listen to Spotify Premium at work, and I listen on my wife's free account at home.  I have just canceled my premium membership solely due to this deplorable ad.  

Rory, a Spotify Community Manager said:

"This educational campaign passed all of our internal guidelines for advertising.
Next time we review these guidelines, we’ll be sure to include your feedback such
as this. Thanks for letting us know how you feel about ads like this."

I'd like to suggest that your internal guidelines for advertising are seriously lacking.  And when you say "Next time we review these guidelines" - what does that mean?  How often does that happen?  Once every few years?  Will you ever get around to reviewing this issue?  Or perhaps you have reviewed it and decided that you don't care about your customers or their opinions and you're going to continue playing the ad forever?

Seriously, pull the ad.  Just stop it, right now.  Knock it off Spotify.  You should know better.  Once you put in place a fully functioning system where people can moderate their own ads they hear, then you can put this controversial ad back in place for people who are more open to it.

But for now, I'm still here, still upset, and I've canceled my premium subscription.  Please contact me if you need someone to help hash out a plan for user moderated advertising.

Chris

[Ryoung]

Uninstalling today.  This ad played while we were listening to classical music as a family during breakfast.  I am disgusted by the fact I allowed this into my home.  Back to pandora. 

[Makhaon]

I hadn't heard the condom ad for a couple weeks...until this past Saturday. Then this ad started played over and over every time there was a commercial break. Seriously. Take the ad off the air and refund the advertiser their money or step-up and create a way that NSFW ads can be blocked from users that do not want to hear them. It is very furstrating to see all of these complaints and get a cheeky response to our concerns. Just take the ad off the air.

[Noogah]

Hello.

I am person number umpteen who is extremely disturbed that this is happening, and must now consider quitting Spotify, at least until this issue is resolved. Additionally, I am not currently a Premium member, but I do occasionally pay for the Premium service, except not anymore, at least unil this is taken care of.

Rorey did not provide a fix for anything.

Rorey didn't tell us how to keep smut out of our ears when we are on Spotify.

Lying about our age does not count as a solution.

Please give us the option to opt out of inappropriate adverts, or better yet, get rid of them indefinitely. We don't have to put up with this on, say, Pandora, or iTunes.