Spotify changes privacy policy after massive user uproar

Music streaming service Spotify has changed its privacy policy after massive uproar on the new policy which stated the service could collect user data from smartphones and tablets such as contacts and photos.

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In a blog on the Spotify website the company's CEO, Daniel Ek, has apologized for the confusion caused by the policy change. In the blog he writes, "we apologize for that. We should have done a better job in communicating what these policies mean and how any information you choose to share will – and will not – be used."

According to Ek the new policy should have made it easier to understand which kind of data Spotify collects and what the company does with that data. Ek stresses that Spotify would never collect photos or locations without user permission. To underline his words, the privacy policy has now been changed.

Reasons why users could give Spotify permission to use photos would be for a profile picture, the location could be used for trending content in their area and contacts could potentially be used to find friends with Spotify, Ek explains in the blog.

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The company  also took the opportunity to simplify the privacy policy and to add an explanation on how Spotify envisions privacy of users. "Again, we have heard your concerns loud and clear. We are also going to update the new Privacy Policy in the coming weeks to better reflect what we have explained above", Ek concludes his blog.

Users who already accepted the new privacy policy don't have to accept the new policy, other users will soon receive the option to agree with the new privacy policy.

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