Neil Young is threatening to pull his music from Spotify over concerns that the company's exclusive deal with Joe Rogan is helping fuel the anti-vaccine movement.
I want you to know that I want my music off of the platform today. They can have either Rogan or Young. Young wrote an open letter that was viewed by Rolling Stone.
JRE, which is hosted exclusively on Spotify, is the world's largest and has tremendous influence. The company does not have a policy on misinformation on its platform.
The Joe Rogan Experience was bought by Spotify for $100 million in 2020. Since the ink dried on the deal, the company has faced criticism over its relationship with Rogan, including his penchant for making transphobic remarks and hosting guests critical of the community.
A group of nearly 300 medical professionals wrote an open letter to the company after Rogan hosted a doctor banned from social media for spreading misinformation.
The JRE platform was used by Dr. Malone to promote a number of baseless claims, including the idea that societal leaders have hypnotized the public.
Many of the statements have been discredited. One of the recent JRE guests has compared the policies of the swine flu to the Holocaust. These actions are offensive and dangerous.
The FDA cautioned the public against using Ivermectin, a veterinary drug that Rogan used to treat his own case of Covid, because of Rogan's doubts about scientific consensus.
The comments by Neil Young are drawing attention to the tech company's attitude toward misinformation, but whether they inspire more public pressure from other figures in the entertainment world remains to be seen. The company likened its exclusive relationship with Rogan to any other content it hosts.
Reality may be setting in that making editorial decisions over what content to pay for and promote comes with additional responsibility when that content contributes to a public health crisis.
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