
Spotify Removes R. Kelly from playlists - part of Hate Content & Conduct Policy - uptown
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8455375/spotify-removes-r-kelly-music-playlists-new-hate-content-conduct-policy
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LocalH
This need for service providers to be content police is troubling. On its own,
this isn’t too egregious. After all, the music is still there, Spotify is only
adjusting their algorithms. However, it’s indicative of a greater trend of
service providers becoming moral gatekeepers. We see people across the
political spectrum (but mostly closer to the ends) trying to prevent speech
and content creation in an overtly authoritarian manner.

Even if we ignore that, there’s also the issue of the potential to bury
someone’s artistic work over their personal behavior. Some people choose not
to separate an artist from their work in that way, and that’s fine on a
personal level. But if that affects the ability for others to acquire that
work, then I have a problem with it.

Some of this may be close to a slippery slope argument. However, I contend
that we’re already on that slope and moving somewhat quickly.

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seanf
Taking on a hate content policy will be a big task. So much music, while being
dramatic and theatrical, is open to a lot of interpretation as to whether it
is truly hateful or just expressing a point of view in an over-the-top way. A
song might honestly express strong emotion, in a questionably hateful way.

For example, will "Hit 'Em Up" by Tupac be
removed?([https://open.spotify.com/track/0Z2J91b2iTGLVTZC4fKgxf](https://open.spotify.com/track/0Z2J91b2iTGLVTZC4fKgxf))
The song calls for violence and murder of other people and their kids.

Tupac, Biggie, and others around them were literally murdered because of their
music, or associations related to their music careers. How can you argue a lot
of their music isn't hateful? Should no one be listening to this music, is it
wrong to listen to it?

It is Spotify's choice to host the kind of music they want, but this will be a
difficult policy to enforce equally if that is at all a goal.

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namlem
First of all, they're not removing the content, it's still available from the
artist's page. Second, it seems to be based upon the conduct of the artist
more than the content of the songs themselves.

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seanf
In the R. Kelly case, that is true. I clicked into the linked policy and read
that before reading the rest of the article. Spotify says, "That’s why we do
not permit hate content on Spotify, and remove it whenever we find it."

The policy is aimed just as much at content as it is at artists.

Edit: This is the policy [https://artists.spotify.com/faq/policies#hate-
content-and-ha...](https://artists.spotify.com/faq/policies#hate-content-and-
hateful-conduct)

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slededit
Early 90s rap music horrified America, and you can understand why if you
actually listen to the lyrics. However it also gave voice to the marginalized.

None of this is why it got played on the radio though. It got played because
it sold. It will be interesting to see if Spotify reacts this way when an
artist in their prime slips up.

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runnr_az
No more "Remix to Ignition?" How am I gonna get it on?

