Spotify Brings Back Political Ads After Suspending Them in 2020

“We have spent the past two years strengthening and enhancing our processes, systems and tools to responsibly validate and review this content.”

Spotifys 2022 “Desert Kick Back” in Coachella California

Spotify’s 2022 “Desert Kick Back” in Coachella, California (Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Spotify)

In 2020, Spotify suspended all political ads from the platform surrounding that year’s election cycle amid widespread criticism of the online spread of misinformation. At the time, Spotify released a statement promising to put a better vetting process into place before they bring political ads back. The company confirmed this week that political ads are slowly returning to the digital streaming platform, Protocol reports

“Following our pause of political ads in early 2020, we have spent the past two years strengthening and enhancing our processes, systems and tools to responsibly validate and review this content,” a Spotify spokesperson said in a statement. “We are now beginning to sell select political advertisements in opted-in third-party podcasts via the Spotify Audience Network in the U.S.”

The company reportedly sent out an internal email claiming that it will not accept ads from issue-based groups, will only host ads from known candidates, and that the ads will not run between songs streaming on the free subscription tier.

At the start of this year, Neil Young asked for his music to be removed from Spotify in protest of Joe Rogan’s platform exclusive podcast. He accused the streaming platform of “spreading fake information about vaccines—potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them.” His music was swiftly taken off the platform, and other artists followed suit in requesting their respective catalogs’ removals from Spotify. While CEO Daniel Ek condemned Rogan’s use of racist slurs, the company still stands by Joe Rogan.

You May Also Like
Benzino Challenges Eminem to Rap Battle, Praises Kendrick, Cole and Drake

Benzino Challenges Eminem to Rap Battle, Praises Kendrick, Cole and Drake

Play video content TMZ.com Benzino and Eminem‘s 20-year-long beef could finally be…

Steve Aoki Gifts Sick Preteen DJ Equipment in Awesome Zoom Call

Play video content Exclusive TMZ.com Steve Aoki isn’t letting a little thing…
Met Gala 2024 Photos: Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Charli XCX, Lana Del Rey, Lil Nas X, Troye Sivan, Zendaya, More

Met Gala 2024 Photos: Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Charli XCX, Lana Del Rey, Lil Nas X, Troye Sivan, Zendaya, More

Following the 2023 event, celebrities returned en masse to New York’s Metropolitan…

Morgan Wallen Hurls N-Word Outside Home After Rowdy Night Out

Play video content Exclusive TMZ.com Morgan Wallen returned home Sunday from a…