{"id":10112,"date":"2022-02-03T13:28:23","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T13:28:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1379495"},"modified":"2022-02-03T13:28:23","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T13:28:23","slug":"spotifys-covid-19-content-warning-is-bullshit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=10112","title":{"rendered":"Spotify\u2019s COVID-19 content warning is bullshit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The tech world can\u2019t stop talking about Spotify<\/a> \u2014 but it doesn\u2019t seem like the streaming giant is actually listening.<\/p>\n

For the uninitiated, Neil Young and others have removed their music from Spotify<\/a>, because they believe Rogan\u2019s podcast \u2014 something consumed by millions \u2014 contains vaccine misinformation. You can read about the saga here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The streaming service responded with a blog post saying it will publish its platform rules<\/a>, and a COVID-19 hub<\/a> that has globally verified information about the pandemic. Spotify also stated it\u2019ll add a content advisory warning on any podcast episode that discusses COVID-19.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been listening to podcasts for over 10 years now, and the warnings I\u2019ve come across are usually mentioned aurally at the beginning of the episode.<\/p>\n

I asked Spotify if it planned to do the same thing. A spokesperson responded that the advisory label will only be text-based, which will \u201cdirect listeners to [its] dedicated COVID-19 hub.\u201d<\/p>\n

That sounds like the platform is trying to do the bare minimum to avoid scrutiny or accusation of spreading misinformation. If I\u2019m listening to a podcast, what are the chances that I\u2019m looking at the screen? What if I\u2019m playing it on a smart speaker? Do I need to check my app for labels every time I play an episode?<\/p>\n

The streaming service\u2019s text-based content warning plans address none of these problems.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s a good health-related content advisory?<\/h2>\n

Chhavi Sachdev<\/a>, the founder of Sonologue Podcasting productions, believes it must move beyond just text:<\/p>\n

\u201cEpisodes with sensitive content must include an advisory in an audio format, and should be from a neutral voice (not from the host). Plus, if it\u2019s health-related, it should spell out unverified claims, and point to the information from trusted sources.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amit Doshi<\/a>, head of India-based production house IVM podcasts, agrees \u2014 but pointed out \u201chow hard\u201d it is to implement.<\/p>\n

This is a serious problem, so we asked Spotify how it plans to detect episodes that contain COVID-19 information, especially when it publishes thousands of podcasts every day.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll update the story if we receive a response.<\/p>\n

Platforms and the COVID-19 misinformation problem<\/h2>\n

Last year, after governments started administering vaccines, online platforms like YouTube, Twitter<\/a>, Instagram, and Facebook<\/a> faced a massive misinformation problem. After much criticism, these companies started booting out content with vaccine<\/a> misinformation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For example, Twitter tagged<\/a> problematic posts like this:<\/p>\n

\n

Beginning today, we will label Tweets that may contain misleading information around COVID-19 vaccinations. This is in addition to our ongoing efforts to remove the most harmful COVID-19 misleading information from Twitter. <\/p>\n

To learn more, visit our blog.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) March 1, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Spotify has also been under fire, but it\u2019s largely maintained the stance that it\u2019s a platform, not a publisher<\/a> \u2014 so it doesn\u2019t want to exercise any editorial control. This is clearly a falsity.<\/p>\n

While Spotify\u2019s proposed content advisory tag is a step in the right direction, it doesn\u2019t go far enough.<\/p>\n

Dr. Harjit Singh Bhatti, a former president of the resident doctors association at AIIMS, India\u2019s top public hospitals, compared these labels to warnings on cigarette packets, which are often ignored:<\/p>\n

\n

Labels applied by social media platforms are often hidden in the fine print of the content. They are part of the marketing campaign by these companies. Plus, they are not doing a good job of highlighting information that is not conveyed by experts.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Studies suggest that labels are effective if they debunk the information using verified resources<\/a>. However, just posting a warning sign might not be effective.<\/p>\n

Notably, when you use visual platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, you can see these labels while scrolling. On an audio-first platform like Spotify, the chances of you noticing them goes down drastically.<\/p>\n

As Doshi said, the effectiveness of these kinds of solutions ends up looking like \u201clipstick on a pig.\u201d<\/p>\n

One thing\u2019s clear: Spotify wants to shy away from the responsibility of policing itself and the content it hosts. But, as we\u2019ve seen with Facebook<\/a>, the whole \u201cplatform not publisher\u201d argument doesn\u2019t have legs.<\/p>\n

Spotify\u2019s reckoning might not be now, but it won\u2019t be long. And a few warning labels won\u2019t stop its eventual comeuppance.<\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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