Spotify's social features are what set the streaming giant apart from its competition, but now, those same features are the root of a very real problem: harassment.
As reported by BuzzFeed this week, unlike other social media platforms, Spotify does not allow its users to block followers from viewing account activity — which has created a new avenue for abuse and intimidation.
SEE ALSO:Apple Music has reportedly overtaken Spotify in U.S. subscribersThe piece shares a story from Meghan, a 26-year-old who has been excessively targeted by someone from a previous relationship.
Her ex would “follow what I was listening to and send me emails about it, convinced that what I was listening to was proof I wanted to be with him again,” she told BuzzFeed News. The messages were often angry. “This was frightening — it revealed the depth of his desperation to monitor my activity as well as his delusions about getting back together.”
Spotify did remove the messaging feature in 2017, but the activity feed that shows followers what music you're listening to remains.
While there is a "private session" feature that blocks everyone from seeing what you listen to (and limits the social capacity of the service), users have allegedly been requesting a user specific block function from Spotify as early as 2012 — and even recent tweets have suggested folks are still are fed up with the lack of action.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
According to BuzzFeed, the company "does not have any timeline on plans for a block feature," despite its acknowledgment that it's a "good idea."
In May, the streaming service bungled an attempt to control the promotion of artists who fell under the company's "hateful conduct" policy. Hopefully the same energy that was intended to prevent hate speech on the platform will eventually apply to those using Spotify to harass others.
[h/t BuzzFeed]
TopicsSocial Media
(责任编辑：綜合)
Daughter gives her 100
Star Wars goes back to prequel era, revives 'Clone Wars': Watch
Inmates hacked tablets to transfer $250,000 into accounts
Ransomware attack absolutely wrecks Alaskan town's IT infrastructurePlane makes emergency landing after engine rips apart during flightFelix the cat just raised £5000 for charity because she's the hero we all need
LONDON -- Remember Felix, the Huddersfield train station cat who got promoted to Senior Pest Control
...[详细]
Would you eat this murder pie?Andrew Fuller is a cake sculptor, horror fan, and "believer that every
...[详细]Anyone can help name the new Mars rover, but there's one small catch
Space. The final frontier. A vast, formless abyss into which humanity launches its satellites and ro
...[详细]
This isYou Won't Regret It, a weekly column featuring recommendations, tips, and unsolicited advice
...[详细]Olympian celebrates by ordering an intimidating amount of McDonald's
It's no secret that Olympians have to eat clean for years to ensure they're at peak physical conditi
...[详细]Chris Rock is set to star in 'Fargo' Season 4, premiering in 2019
Fargohas Chris Rock booked to star in its upcoming fourth season, but that's not even the exciting p
...[详细]Google Cloud outage brings down Snapchat, Spotify, and 'Pokémon Go'
A Google Cloud outage is causing major headaches for some of the most popular apps.Snapchat, Spotify
...[详细]Eighth graders can see 'Eighth Grade' with rating
A24 will screen Bo Burnham's Eighth Gradefree of charge across the U.S. on August 8 – and free
...[详细]Old lady swatting at a cat ends up in Photoshop battle
We all have that relative who gets annoyed with the cat. 。This timeless photo of an old woman shooing
...[详细]
If you have any interest at all in Mission: Impossible — Fallout, any inkling that you may wan
...[详细]Richard Branson 'thought he was going to die' in bike accident
Eighth graders can see 'Eighth Grade' with rating
