Spotify Publishes Platform Rules and Adds COVID-19 Podcast Advisories
Event Reviewed Automatically reviewed for factual accuracy, tone, and neutrality. Review does not check claims against cited sources. Last reviewed 20 October 2026.Days after Spotify removed Neil Young's music at his request over COVID-19 claims on The Joe Rogan Experience, CEO Daniel Ek published the service's Platform Rules and announced a content advisory on every podcast episode discussing COVID-19.
Artist protest over podcast prompts Spotify to publish content rules, add COVID-19 advisories.
In January 2022, 270 physicians and scientists published an open letter asking Spotify to adopt misinformation policies in light of COVID-19 claims on The Joe Rogan Experience, which Spotify licensed exclusively. On 26 January, Spotify removed Neil Young’s catalog at his request; Young had told the company, “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.” Spotify responded that it had removed over 20,000 COVID-related podcast episodes since the start of the pandemic. Joni Mitchell and Nils Lofgren then removed their music as well.
On 30 January, Ek published the Platform Rules that govern content on the service, writing that the company had had rules in place “for many years” but had not been transparent about them. He also announced a content advisory on any podcast episode that includes a discussion of COVID-19, directing listeners to a COVID-19 information hub. In a statement reported by the Associated Press, Ek said he did not want Spotify to “take on the position of being content censor” while ensuring there were “rules in place and consequences for those who violate them.” Rogan responded in an Instagram video that he was “not trying to promote misinformation” and welcomed the advisories.
The advisory began appearing on 2 February 2022 and, by late March, was on about 1.4 million podcast episodes.
Sources
- 01.
Spotify. Spotify's Platform Rules and Approach to COVID-19. (2022). Ek's announcement of 30 January 2022. Primary source for publication of the Platform Rules, for the content advisory on any podcast episode that includes a discussion of COVID-19 directing listeners to a COVID-19 Hub, and for Ek's statement that the company had had rules in place for many years but had not been transparent about them. The post does not name Young or Rogan.
- 02.
Hernandez, J. (2022). Spotify will add a COVID advisory to podcasts after the Joe Rogan controversy. NPR. Independent report of 30 January 2022, carried by Michigan Public. Source for the date of the announcement, for the advisories linking to a hub of information from medical and scientific sources, and for Joni Mitchell and Nils Lofgren also removing their music after Young.
- 03.
KUER. Spotify removes Neil Young's music after he objects to Joe Rogan's podcast. (2022). Report of 26 January 2022. Source for Young's demand ('They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.'), his objection to vaccine claims on the podcast, the removal of his catalog, and Spotify's statement that it had removed over 20,000 COVID-related podcast episodes since the start of the pandemic.
- 04.
Silberling, A. (2022). Spotify's COVID-19 content advisory continues roll out two months after Joe Rogan controversy. TechCrunch. Report of 28 March 2022. Source for the January open letter from 270 physicians and scientists, for the advisory launching on 2 February 2022, and for its appearing on about 1.4 million podcast episodes by late March.
- 05.
Associated Press. Rogan responds to Spotify protest, COVID advisories. (2022). AP report of 30 January 2022, carried by FOX 8. Source for Ek's statement about not taking on the position of content censor while keeping rules and consequences in place, and for Rogan's Instagram video response welcoming the advisories.
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