Announcements
The Spotify Stars Program: Celebrating Values Week!

Help Wizard

Step 1

NEXT STEP

FAQs

Please see below the most popular frequently asked questions.

Loading article...

Loading faqs...

VIEW ALL

Ongoing Issues

Please see below the current ongoing issues which are under investigation.

Loading issue...

Loading ongoing issues...

VIEW ALL

Joe Rogan - Harmful Information Dissemination?

Joe Rogan - Harmful Information Dissemination?

What is Spotify prepared to do regarding this type of communication from Podcast Host Joe Rogan?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/09/18/joe-rogan-antifa-oregon-fires/?hpid=hp_morning-mix-...

 

- "The backlash over Rogan’s false claim has heaped more pressure on Spotify, which recently signed the massively popular podcaster to a deal reportedly worth up to $100 million. Spotify also met with employees this week angry that the service is streaming Rogan episodes that critics have called transphobic, Vice reported."

- "The misinformation has led to real problems. When a meme went viral claiming that the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office had arrested “six antifa members” last week, the sheriff’s office was flooded with calls that tied up officers and operators. Unfounded fears of extremist fire-starters and false reports of looting have also led vigilantes to set up illegal roadblocks and hold a photojournalist at gunpoint."

 

So. . . Community:  Given the state of affairs in the United States, is this where Spotify "is going"?  Even accounting for 1st Amendment rights and artistic freedom, is there where ideas on Spotify are trending?  If so, okay, that's good for some segment of "The Community" - but for me, it might be time to walk away from the membership (and cease my financial contribution to this Company's bottom-line ) in this environment.

Reply
79 Replies

Well desertdawg, I disagree entirely - my problem is when people incite hate towards me and my community. You asked for references, and I gave them.

 

My original post was not to censor your show, but to remove my music from a company that supports hate speech.

 

Let's burry the hatchet bluedot.  I wish the best for you and your friends.  I hope you know I would stand up for your right to be you any day and every day.   I wish you didn't remove your music over this.  I'd probably be a fan.

Thank you DesertDawg007 . Only wish the best for you and all of us.

Phreon - Your rudeness and arrogance is beyond pale. I have no interest in arguing with you about decency and empathy.

I'm sorry you feel that way, but I have absolutely no regrets about asking you to provide a single shred of actual evidence for your assertions.

As for calling me rude, exactly what part of the plethora of negative connotations and assertions you attached to me were polite and civil?

Though ancient, I think the golden rule is an excellent one to live by.
"Treat others a you wish to be treated".  The world would be a much better place if more people lived by it, don't you agree?

 

I posted a thought problem to discuss the issue, and was immediately told by you that I knew nothing of what I posted as you took a side on free speech.

 

Personally, I don't care if you listen to Joe or Rush all day long. However, as I stated originally I cannot support our music being on a platform that pays $100m for a shock jock to deliver hate speech that has been proven to affect society. 

 

I posted plenty of backup resources, from well written opinion pieces from past ambassadors to articles from Phys.org. I referenced his latest anti-trans podcast and guest and the trouble it is causing.

 

It appears to me that this entire exercise this morning to be online bullying. Yes, the Golden Rule is wonderful. Next time, I suggest you find the context you are looking for in what my original post stated before denigrating my understanding. In that original post,  I was making a personal choice to not support Spotify even though I had a 143,000 plays last month and 3000 followers. Small beans I know, but at least I am following my principles and attempting to educate through thought problems, where you can find your own understanding. This has not been enjoyable, and truly makes me question if I will continue to even discuss this subject in fear of online bullying.

Agreed. The dumbest thing about these people at spotify is that they already knew what it was. Why are they now trying to mold into something censored that only goes along with their ideas and agendas. Spotify I don't **bleep** about your tech employees that can't even figure out how to create a good random play. If you mess with Joe I'm never coming back. You said he gets full control. Honor you're words

 

 

Please Walk Away...if you can’t handle someone attempting to hear both sides of an issue than walk away...

It is terribly important that people that spread known disinformation not have mainstream platforms adding to their legitimacy. Polio does not come from vaccines as Rogan has said recently. And Alex Jones has no place on any media. Please remove the Joe Rogan show from your content. 

 

Continued support of such garbage content will be met with cancelation of my subscription  

Spotify is systemically woke and being run like a communist country. If you have complaints that don't align, comrade, complain directly to Joe. It's obvious that they are pandering to a few, loud people and not paid subscribers. 

https://www.joerogan.com/contact

I too am worried that not enough is being done. Joe Rogan's podcast appears to be damaging because of the large audience, but there are several other podcasts that would be more beneficial to remove. For example, Ben Shapiro sympathises with the insurrectionists, as do many other podcasters. There is no place for such violence and hatred on any platform, as each subsequent platform has been coming to terms with recently.

I see a couple comments in here being really rude and mean to another member of the community. Bluedot was saying that the words of this highly popular podcast made them uncomfortable. They provided evidence that this type of language not only affects others, but is widely interpreted as dangerous.

 

Then, in the name of "open-mindedness" you invalidate their experience by presenting your own anecdotal evidence. Sorry you had to deal with that Bluedot. I hear you.

 

Thank you for your note. This "conversation". Right here at Spotify was typical of the online bullying that has thankfully shown its nature to the world with the Capital insurrection.

Maybe now more people will see what comes from hate speech, lies and conspiracy theories from people like Joe Rogan.

😂
There is no comparison with logic and reason between Joe's podcast and what happened at the capitol. It's the exaggeration of the century.🤣

You must be part of the loud minority of people I spoke of. 


Spotishlitz, your use of "minority" is ironic, I hope everyone can appreciate that.

I was not trying to make a clear and logical connection from Joe Rogan to the proud boys, AKA white supremacists who are keen to commit violence at places like the capitol. However, since you are unaware, Joe has hosted a founder of the terrorist organization the proud boys multiple times and later defended the decision. Here is a link to him saying it, then some NSFW hate speech out of his guest: https://www.reddit.com/r/JoeRogan/comments/iv0v0q/joes_take_on_gavin_mcinnes_the_founder_of_proud/

Spoiler, he targets minorities.

Now that the logical and reasonable connection has been made, assuming ignorance of the issue was something we shared before I looked in up in 10 seconds; let's abstract. Platforms have clear guidelines that should protect their audiences from hateful dialogs and violent rhetoric. The comparison to violent rap music has been made, by ol' JR himself, but I don't think anyone would argue that a warning before hate speech filled music was presented to an unwitting listener is a bad thing. In fact, I believe that has been the norm since the 90s, although I've heard the dispensation of such labels is often misguided and unfair but that's besides the point. If spotify chose to limit the access to hateful rhetoric in prose that would be a choice they could make so long as it fit their guidelines.

I personally don't think the comparison is fair however, because music about hate speech can be interpreted in infinite ways as it is often a lens by which the real world is observed. Conversation, candid and literal, as podcasts often are, is a different medium entirely. A small-fry operation would be impossible for a platform to moderate without the help from the public, but a big-hitter, with millions of listeners, should be more self-aware when publishing the words of white supremacists without sufficient context. Barring this measure, the platform should remove some content, as I believe they have done.

I argue that there are some podcasts that this conversation is unnecessary for, however. The overtone of the entire operation is misinformation and hate, such as Bannon's show that was entirely removed. I am hoping that more shows of this caliber are removed, and more shows like Ben Shapiro's are more heavily moderated.

Either you don't know what ironic means or you're taking it in a way that it is not intended. Either way, you're wrong. So, a white supremacist organization can be led by a non-white person eh? Wow, that was a lengthy way to show off your assholery. Move on. 

What a succinct way if identifying yourself as a nazi sympathizer. Moved on
indeed.

Again, way off and I don't sympathize with anyone over 100 years old. 

Also, how long have you been munching academia nuts?

We are only human, we all slip up or misunderstand things. People need to stop expecting everybody to walk on eggshells so others feelings don't get hurt, this is not the community for people to bring "social justice" BS to. If somebody thinks rogan is "spreading harmful information" Then they can respond by spreading their information to counter what they view as harmful. Not everybody has to agree with everybody this is so annoying and creates tension which then creates harmful ACTION. If people get censored and can't speak, they will act.

Suggested posts