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Does Spotify have a porn problem?

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AI-generated audio pornography and sex podcasts are ranking highly on Spotify and explicit video clips are being easily concealed from safeguards. The platform’s reactive moderation is under fire.

Sex sells, we all know that. But what business does porn have being on the biggest music streaming app?

Technically, sexually explicit content is prohibited on Spotify, but the app has a funny way of enforcing this rule. When porn is flagged by users, moderators have a decent track record of removing it, but the absence of a proactive firewall means explicit material continues to pop up regularly – sometimes appearing at the top end of category rankings.

Videos and podcasts are the categories most rife with porn, with a Bloomberg and LinkedIn report suggesting unsuspecting users are being exposed to it because the algorithm boosts media with a high volume of hits. The Times’ Patricia Nicol revealed that clicking on seemingly innocuous podcasts high on the fiction rankings returned some questionable results.

At No 3 was a creator called ivys aud, whose vintage roses cover art wasn’t exactly reflective of the episodes it hosted – 140 of which have apparently been uploaded since May. Among its offering were audio tracks named things like  F****d Hard by an Obsessed Big D**k, each complete with an English-narrated monologue and an AI transcript rolling on screen. This particular entry involved a ‘rapey seduction’ which is particularly disturbing.

As well as these entries, which sat alongside the favourites of many young viewers like Sherlock & Co, The Archers, and Mrs Honeybee & Friends, a quick peruse through the ASMR section shows the scope of the issue. Even in the religion and spirituality subcategory you’ll find titles such as Dees Big Nuts. Don’t you dare laugh.

Since the Times article went live, the ‘artists’ and content mentioned have conveniently vanished from existence, highlighting the platform’s overreliance on audience flagging to act (or more appropriately, react).

Spotify has seemingly accepted that a tidal wave of explicit material is the nature of the beast when hosting user-generated content, but there is understandable concern and anger about the lack of protection for younger users. Many parents on Reddit have described having to toggle on ‘music only’ options or have unsubscribed entirely after their child pointed out what they’d stumbled upon.

Spotify says most erotic content is denoted with a small E symbol, but there’s no disclaimer message prior to the media playing making this easy to miss, especially for a child. The onus is put on the user to protect themselves from concealed explicit material, often shown alongside mainstream artists and shows, and to report any smut that has slipped through the net.

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by from discussion
inpopheads

Having just trailed the reporting system for myself, practically speaking, the ordeal is extremely clunky and out of keeping with a service all about instant entertainment. There’s no in-app flagging system at all, and users have to open a convoluted URL in an internet browser to begin the process. Suffice to say, Spotify isn’t exactly biting its nails over the issue.

Ofcom had expressed concern about Spotify’s pivot to video and podcasting back in 2023 positing this very issue, but Spotify asserted that its mission to expand was only possible by ‘welcoming different forms of artistic expression, ideas, perspectives, and voices.’ It gave the assurance that ‘not anything goes’ on the platform, but has failed to get a handle on what’s being uploaded in those additional sections.

Surely, with social media discord and mainstream media coverage growing, Spotify are already beginning to work on safeguards in the background. Removing only what people report has proven to be insufficient and more explicit content just fills the vacuum. It’s like a grim game of whac-a-mole.

To think, there are people out there who will have literal porn on next year’s Spotify Wrapped. Suddenly my MGK fandom doesn’t feel quite so embarrassing.

Editor in Chief London, UK

I’m Jamie (He/Him), the Editor in Chief at Thred. Keeping up with gaming and revolutionary technology is my forte, but when away from my keyboard, you’ll probably find me wrapped around a large Tango ice blast at the latest mediocre horror flick. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

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