Spotify Removes Pro-War Russian Artists Following EU Sanctions
Spotify has removed several pro-war Russian artists from its platform, specifically targeting those under Western sanctions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This action affects notable artists including Lyube, Grigory Leps, Oleg Gazmanov, Shaman, and Polina Gagarina, all of whom are currently under EU sanctions.
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A Spotify spokesperson confirmed to The Moscow Times that these removals occurred after content review determined the artists had violated platform policies or local laws. This marks a significant move for Spotify, which historically maintains a high threshold for content removal.
The platform's action follows its 2022 decision to suspend services in Russia and close its offices after the Ukraine invasion. This stance contrasts with Spotify's handling of other controversial artists, such as R. Kelly, Kanye West, and Diddy, whose music remains available despite various controversies.
Previous content moderation efforts by Spotify include:
- Removal of select Joe Rogan episodes
- Taking down neo-Nazi and white supremacist content identified in 2017
- Addressing content that promotes hatred or incites violence
While Spotify maintains that it "takes immediate action" against content violating its policies, questions remain about consistency in content moderation across streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Deezer, and YouTube, particularly regarding hateful content.
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