© Andrew Burton /GettySpotify CEO Daniel Ek
Spotify told Ad Age Friday it will stop accepting political advertising in early 2020 across its ad-supported tier, which boasts 141 million users. The company is also suspending campaign ads on its original and exclusive podcasts, which include Amy Schumer Presents and The Joe Budden Podcast.
Spotify cited a lack of resources needed to vet the content of political ads.
"At this point in time, we do not yet have the necessary level of robustness in our process, systems and tools to responsibly validate and review this content," Spotify said in a statement to the trade publication. "We will reassess this decision as we continue to evolve our capabilities."
The pause will only affect U.S. listeners since Spotify doesn't accept political ads in overseas markets, according to Ad Age.
The trade publication noted that Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and the Republican National Committee have run ads on the platform.
Spotify's announcement follows a similar decision made by Twitter that sent shockwaves through the social media world.
Twitter CEO and founder Jack Dorsey said in October that the social media platform would stop all political advertising worldwide.
"We've made the decision to stop all political advertising on Twitter globally. We believe political message reach should be earned, not bought," said Dorsey in a tweet.
The decision represents a stark contrast to Facebook, which not only continues to accept political ads but also has declined to fact check them.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has argued that it is not up to Facebook to censor the speech of political figures and that voters should be able to make up their own minds about what politicians have to say.
Zuckerberg's decision has enraged left-wing activists who blame Facebook for helping President Donald Trump win the 2016 election.
Spotify, which is based in Stockholm, Sweden, told Ad Age that its new policy will also prohibit ads that advocate for or against political entities as well as legislative or judicial outcomes. But it won't affect political ads that are embedded in for third-party podcasts, which aren't exclusive to Spotify.
Reader Comments
As I walked up the beach, they treated me with cautious reverence. The boldest of their crew - say age 23? came up to me and asked, "Are you the same guy who OWNS! Lowers? (Lower Trestles?) We were out there last Summer, ... was that YOU?"
R.C., (Almost blushing with pride) . . . Well, I guess it musta been, partner.
Kid: Whadda you doing here?
R.C. I'm from here: I was just living out there then.
Kid: "See, dudes! I told you! This is the same balding guy who was owning Lowers/Trestles!!!!"
At that they gathered around to shake my hand, introductions, (surprised they didn't ask for an autograph); while my brain was thinking..."Baldiing"??? Me????"
And it was true; and I've never been vain enough to get a hair transplant, and my hair is long and thick from just above the back 2/3ds of my skull in a classic, permanently paused version of MPB.
So when you see a shaved head? Realize that THAT is what is behind it. "Vanity, vanity; all is vanity."
R.C.
P.s., No tatoos either. Scars are the tatoos of my generation.
RC
R.C.
TP is singing as I type "You don't know how it feels", but that's too... impolite....for my point.
RC