Spotify CEO Daniel Ek apologises to users amid privacy fears.
STOCKHOLM — Online music streamer Spotify defended itself Friday after angry users accused it of abusive personal data collection by asking for access to their contacts and photos. The music streaming service has introduced a major change to its privacy policy that both expands the data it collects from users, and who it then shares it with.
Ek, pictured above on the right) was forced to issue a statement online after the company came in for criticism from users after it was revealed that in addition to birth days and email addresses, Spotify will also be able to access users contacts, photos and location as part of new services they are providing.Ek sought Friday to clarify the 7-year-old company’s changed terms after some users declared that they would quit the popular streaming music app in protest.
We encourage everyone to read the whole privacy policy before downloading the update or checking off the “Accept” box, but in case you have better things to do, here are some highlights from it. “With your permission, we may collect information stored on your mobile device, such as contacts, photos, or media files. The streaming platform now wants access to pictures, contact phone numbers and sensor data stored on the user’s smartphone as well as permission to view social media activity.
On Friday, one of the creators of the hugely popular online game Minecraft, Markus Persson of Sweden, told his 2.4 million Twitter followers that he had “cancelled” his Spotify subscription. 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.”—Spotify Like a jealous ex, Spotify wants to see (and collect) your photos and see who you’re talking to. Ek also explained that having access to photos would help users “if you want to personalize a playlist by having a custom image or a new profile pic.” “We apologize … We should have done a better job in communicating what these policies mean and how any information you choose to share will — and will not — be used,” he wrote. “If you don’t want to share this kind of information, you don’t have to.
The new terms come in advance of the launch of Spotify Running, which matchesmusic to the pace at which a user is running and the already launched Discover Weekly, which curates a weekly playlist based on listeners’ tastes. Also, the fact that Spotify expects you to go through your contact list and ask everyone for their consent in sharing their data with Spotify is–what’s the word? Sensor data, such as how fast the user’s phone is moving, helped the Swedish firm develop Spotify Running, a new feature that tailors music playlists to physical activity. Apple Music was launched on June 30 in more than 100 countries, after the technology giant realized that music fans would in the future be more likely to choose streaming over downloads. The majority of Spotify’s 75 million users are on the free, advertising-supported version of the service, although the new policy also applies to its 20 million paying subscribers.
Ushering in the change in policy, a company statement said: “Spotify is constantly innovating and evolving its service to deliver the best possible experience for our users. Oh yes: It’s ridiculous. “Depending on the type of device that you use to interact with the Service and your settings, we may also collect information about your location based on, for example, your phone’s GPS location or other forms of locating mobile devices (e.g., Bluetooth). Responding to concerns about the policy, Spotify said that the privacy of its users is its “highest priority” and that it would allow users to opt out of sharing some data. Spotify also states that it has now paid out over $3 billion (£1.93 billion) in royalties to artists since launching in 2008, of which $300 million (£193 million) came in the first three months of 2015 alone. If this bothers you, we suggest that you log into your Spotify preferences and disconnect Spotify from your Facebook account (more information on how to do this can be found here).
Trying out the second option (go to your Spotify Account, then click “Edit profile” and scroll down) will give you these three boxes: The first two relate to how Spotify contacts you with company news, and the other one relates to third-party sharing. We may share information with advertising partners in order to send you promotional communications about Spotify or to show you more tailored content, including relevant advertising for products and services that may be of interest to you, and to understand how users interact with advertisements.
The data that Spotify shares is in a de-identified format that does not identify you directly, unless you opt in to the sharing of your personal information. This means delivering the perfect recommendations for every moment, and helping you to enjoy, discover and share more music than ever before. “The data accessed simply helps us to tailor improved experiences to our users, and build new and personalised products for the future.