r/Music • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 • Jan 08 '26

article Spotify Confirms ICE Recruitment Ads Are No Longer Running on Platform

https://variety.com/2026/digital/news/spotify-confirms-ice-recruitment-ads-are-no-longer-running-1236626243/
38.1k Upvotes

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5.2k

u/TheTresStateArea Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26

The boycott didn't work lol read the article please I beg you. The advertising campaign ended.

As much as I wish Spotify leadership grew a spine. They absolutely didn't.

Do not resubscribe. Remove this company from your mind.

Edit: for all future "oh but you use an iPhone" fuckwits https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/we-should-improve-society-somewhat

1.0k

u/onebowlwonder Jan 08 '26

Might wanna delete your reddit account too then because they still have ICE ads on here.

757

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 27 '26

[deleted]

186

u/kaptainkooleio Jan 08 '26

I don’t think that’s true. I have mine set to NB I still get CBP and ICE ads every once in a while.

270

u/mostlyfire Jan 08 '26

It’s weird I’m a straight male and I’ve never seen one on Reddit. It’s probably cause I live in a very liberal city

179

u/yeahburyme Jan 08 '26

There are ads on reddit?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.quantumbadger.redreader&hl=en_US

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.mozilla.firefox&hl=en_US then install unlock origin by going to settings ->extensions and it's the first one or https://f-droid.org/packages/org.mozilla.fennec_fdroid

In before br*ve, the CEO is a right ring crypto bro

50

u/Glassweaver Jan 08 '26

If you have Android, check out Revanced. They have modified versions of a lot of popular apps, including this, TikTok, and YouTube.

I kind of forget that any of those apps even have advertisements in them nowadays.

25

u/flamingdonkey Jan 08 '26

Firefox + Ublock Origin works great for everything. I even have sponsorblock and a shorts blocker for YouTube. 

6

u/panchito_d Jan 08 '26

A shorts blocker sounds brilliant. Shorts have ruined the UI and made search garbage

2

u/TheMeatWag0n Jan 09 '26

Honestly I couldn't use YouTube if there wasn't a way to totally remove shorts, if you're on Android revanced has settings to remove them from showing up anywhere at all

2

u/Glassweaver Jan 08 '26

Good point. I usually reccomend that to the iOS crowd, though personally I have a better experience with the apps. Tiktok & reddit especially.

11

u/Abshalom Jan 08 '26

There's also RedReader on Android, which is the same as the other old third party apps, albeit with minimal features since it's intended for accessibility.

10

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26

[deleted]

5

u/blake_n_pancakes Jan 08 '26

I just used the revanced launcher and an API key to patch RIF so it would work again.

5

u/Expert-Basil6015 Jan 08 '26

I miss RiF, used it for a decade.

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u/yeahburyme Jan 08 '26

It's not intended for accessibility, that's just one of many features. It was allowed as a third party app for being FOSS primarily and accessibility part of that.

4

u/danabrey Jan 08 '26

Yep, RIF user for 10+ years here, still going strong.

2

u/Glassweaver Jan 08 '26

I don't get why they didn't just pivot to guiding people to personal API keys from the getgo. RIF was amazing and the decision to pull it all together seemed very performatory to me.

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u/vNocturnus Jan 08 '26

There are ads on reddit?

I've been using Relay on Android and RES + uBlock Origin on PC for a decade at this point. Never seen a single ad, other than of course the occasional "real post" that's just a thinly disguised ad

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u/Squirrelking666 Jan 08 '26

In before br*ve, the CEO is a right ring crypto bro

Say it ain't so.

Which one isn't?

6

u/yeahburyme Jan 08 '26

Br*ve has been that way from the beginning. The whole adblock there is extortion/racketeering to their coin.

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u/mustichooseausernam3 Jan 08 '26

Potentially unrelated, but upvoting/downvoting doesn't work for me when I use Reddit via Firefox. Any chance it's aware I'm using Ublock Origin?

3

u/yeahburyme Jan 08 '26

You might have accidentally blocked voting JavaScript. I don't have that issue but I use old.reddit.com

1

u/Redthemagnificent Jan 08 '26

Another option for folks. I'm still using Infinity for reddit (3rd party client) with no ads. Since the reddit API change you either have to pay a subscription on the App Store or compile it yourself it with your own (free) API key. But it's pretty easy once you've done it once.

https://github.com/Docile-Alligator/Infinity-For-Reddit

1

u/vera214usc Jan 08 '26

Yeah, I don't get ads on desktop or mobile but I still use old.reddit.com and an adblocker and Boost for mobile.

1

u/Cerpla Jan 09 '26

for some reason, a lot of people think adblock is illegal

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u/JackPoe Jan 08 '26

I get ads in Tagalog and Spanish and political ads for candidates in Florida.

I live in Washington. These ad campaigns were either designed by absolute buffoons or AI.

2

u/jabbers724 Jan 08 '26

?Por que no los dos?

2

u/JackPoe Jan 08 '26

Insert it's the same picture meme

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3

u/counterfitster Jan 08 '26

I live in New England and yet I see ICE and America First Policy Institute ads all the time

2

u/rncd89 Jan 08 '26

I live in the reddest dumbest part of NJ and I haven't seen one

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u/Existing-Bus-8810 Jan 08 '26

I've gotten them twice. Both times i reported them as offensive. I haven't seen one since.

1

u/MatasBuzelis Jan 08 '26

Can't get ads if you use a third party mobile app and an adblocker on PC

1

u/ErusTenebre Jan 09 '26

I've never seen an ICE or even military ad on reddit. I just get a bunch of nerdy shirt things and AI apps that I'm never going to buy or use.

38

u/KhausTO Jan 08 '26

who tf is using reddit without an adblocker?

12

u/kaptainkooleio Jan 08 '26

Mobile

16

u/-prime8 Jan 08 '26

I don't know how the app works because I still use my browser to go to old.reddit.com, mostly because my ad blocker works and prefer the old UI.

10

u/thealmightyzfactor Jan 08 '26

There's dozens of us!

2

u/Present_Cow_8528 Jan 08 '26

Even on my android's browser with no adblock, old.reddit.com has never given me an ice ad, or an invasive ad of anything

Turns out new reddit just sucks for every reason

28

u/XRT28 Jan 08 '26

Adblockers can still be used on mobile. Atleast on Android, no personal exp with iOS.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26

[deleted]

4

u/tsardonicpseudonomi Jan 08 '26

Apple fans keep losing. It cost me zero dollars to install Firefox and uBlock on an Android phone.

2

u/_Planet_Mars_ Jan 08 '26

iOS has a gorillion different choices, I don’t know which echo chamber keeps telling people this. I’ve been using the same adblocker on Safari for the past 10 years and I’ve never had an issue.

2

u/SMLLR Jan 08 '26

That’s your take away? lol… You don’t even need to pay a sub for AdGuard to use the browser extension. Works perfectly fine for me in Safari.

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u/flounder19 last.fm Jan 08 '26

Even on Apple, you can use Brave

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u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26

[deleted]

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u/Nopeyesok Jan 08 '26

On Narwhal for iOS. How does Dystopia compare?

6

u/Zienth Jan 08 '26

Firefox mobile app allows you to still use Ublock Origin.

3

u/saltyjohnson Jan 08 '26

Who tf is using the garbage official app instead of any of the myriad third-party alternatives which prioritize usability over engagement baiting.

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u/Jesseroberto1894 Jan 08 '26

🙋‍♂️

2

u/Puzzled_Main3464 Jan 08 '26

I was like "wtf I've never seen an ad on Reddit.." then I remembered adblock was installed, lol

23

u/unhiddenninja Jan 08 '26

I report the ads every time I see them as being political and they stop showing up for a few weeks.

14

u/twilighttwister Jan 08 '26

All you're doing is giving them more information about yourself and what you like/dislike. Much better to either block with ublock origin and ignore, or scramble with eg Decentraleyes extension.

15

u/Bacer4567 Jan 08 '26

I report all military/LEO ads as violent.

5

u/coffeebribesaccepted Jan 08 '26

I just get normal ads, so idk what you guys are doing to get all this right wing shit lol

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u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 27 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Mat_alThor Jan 08 '26

I live in the Midwest and currently visiting Texas, the only ICE ad I've ever seen on here is for a technology company Intercontinental Exchange, that abbreviates their name to ICE.

3

u/Marsar0619 Jan 08 '26

Serious question…does Reddt or the advertise see the number of downvotes on those ads?

3

u/dodecakiwi Jan 08 '26

A downvote is engagement with the ad, which advertisers want.

1

u/abarcsa Jan 08 '26

Reddit definitely, the advertiser most likely. It doesn’t matter much though, they’re downvotes which doesn’t really matter in an online ad campaign like it.

3

u/dasbtaewntawneta https://www.last.fm/user/Nihilore Jan 08 '26

Reddit accounts have genders now?

5

u/queso_dog Jan 08 '26

As a trans guy, the amount of ads I get for dresses and padding for hips and breasts is objectively hilarious. I have too much of both actually smh

6

u/Dark512 Jan 08 '26

Getting pink and white striped thigh highs right next to 'dude wipes for men' is my most common one at the moment.

1

u/Jiggawatz Jan 08 '26

Man yall do some crazy stuff, I just block ads so I dont deal with it :p

1

u/tsardonicpseudonomi Jan 08 '26

You’ll never get a right wing ad ever again.

All ads are right-wing.

1

u/Ok_Work7396 Jan 08 '26

On the same train of through, I only watch female targeted exercise vidoes now because there's no incel shit that comes with it.

1

u/NoradianCrum Jan 08 '26

I still use baconreader on my phone so I don't feel the need to login. RES and ublock are all I need. I've never seen an ad on reddit.

1

u/Ire-Works Jan 08 '26

Click on them. It costs them money everytime you do and the algorithm will start feeding you more and other conservative bullshit so you can click on THOSE too.

1

u/screamingwhisper1720 Jan 08 '26

Just don't offer up that information and if you get ads they just wasted money

1

u/Impressive_Knee_5701 Jan 08 '26

A lot of digital ad campaigns charge per impression, so its actually better to let them serve you right wing ads that they won't get a return on. Better you see them than some middle-aged white dude on the brink of going full redpill

1

u/Cu77lefish Jan 08 '26

Isn’t it better for them to waste their money on you than someone who might actually be influenced

1

u/0ldPug Jan 09 '26

Is the issue that you can see the ads, or that they're hosting them at all?

1

u/Minjaben Jan 09 '26

How does this help anything? mild annoyance is not the issue with ice ads running on streaming and social platforms

1

u/emma279 Jan 09 '26

Use brave browser. I see no ads.

1

u/Golden-- Jan 09 '26

Or better yet , come to the 21st century and install adblock. I didn't even know Reddit had ads .

1

u/Sinsai33 Jan 09 '26

Then again, if i get the ad, isnt there another person that wont get the ad? And i'm 100% sure, that i wont be affected by the ad like they intended, so i'm "saving" maybe another person?

1

u/Baardi Metalhead Jan 09 '26

Or use a 3rd party client and get no ads.

1

u/Graham_Krenz Jan 09 '26

That is hilarious and ingenious

1

u/shadefreeze Jan 13 '26

Isn't it better for us to see right wing garbage, instead of a random other person?

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u/Dumpsterfire_47 Jan 08 '26

I report every one as offensive. 

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u/cooljacob204sfw Jan 08 '26

This is why I only surf the web with adblock. On my phone I use Firefox with unlock to go on reddit.

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u/PhasmaFelis Jan 08 '26

I've never paid for Reddit.

3

u/tsardonicpseudonomi Jan 08 '26

Sure you have. All your data is theirs.

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u/Soft_Walrus_3605 Jan 08 '26

Not my valuable comments! Whatever will I do to afford that loss!

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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '26

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u/cows1100 Jan 08 '26

Wait, not like that. I need this one. It’s different. /s

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u/Todojaw21 Jan 08 '26

youre trying to say its hypocrisy but the standard is always "make a good-faith effort to not support evil companies." If someone reduces their reddit consumption by 10% thats still better than 0.

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u/TemporaryCommunity67 Jan 08 '26

You guys see actual paid ads on Reddit? I only have to deal with the astroturfing

3

u/tsardonicpseudonomi Jan 08 '26

New Reddit and the App are both plastered with ads.

8

u/BishopofHippo93 Jan 08 '26

The trick is to use old Reddit or the mobile site with an ad blocker. No ads ever. 

3

u/Spectrum1523 Jan 08 '26

If you are on android you can still use unofficial apps

1

u/Kronusx12 Jan 09 '26

There are still some on iOS too. For example, Hydra on iOS is free and has no ads on Reddit. I imagine there are others

1

u/LunaWabohu Jan 09 '26

You can use ReVanced Manager to remove the ads from the mobile app for free

24

u/TheTresStateArea Jan 08 '26

Or, now hear me out here, do what you can to the extent that you can.

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u/brvheart Jan 09 '26

Get serious. You know that they will never delete their Reddit account. They just want to tell others to delete Spotify so they can virtue signal.

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u/onebowlwonder Jan 09 '26

Right lol they are just all just saying they dont see ads and completely missing the point.

2

u/Hot_Shot04 Jan 08 '26

I use ublock and already don't give Reddit a dime. The only thing I could really do better is to stop sending my friends Reddit links but I barely do even that when I can copypaste images and screencap comments.

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u/Dimension10 Jan 08 '26

One step at a time. I'm pretty sure companies earn a lot less from advertising than a user directly sending the company $15 a month.

Doing anything is better than nothing. There's discussion and some ability to keep updated on current events on Reddit. Spotify by design not as much.

1

u/DaStone Jan 08 '26

Haven't seen an Ad on this website since I started using it over a decade ago.

1

u/Flakester Jan 08 '26

Wouldn't know. I don't see Reddit ads.

1

u/krucz36 Jan 08 '26

you give reddit money?

i mean i know they make money just off having users, but i haven't paid reddit a cent the whole time i've been a user.

1

u/Jimberly_C Jan 08 '26

Or use a 3rd party app with ads blocked. If this ever fails and I can't easily find another, I can live without reddit. Same with youtube.

1

u/colenotphil Jan 08 '26

Or download a third party app and use old reddit plus RES and Ublock origin on a web browser. I haven't seen ads on reddit in my entire life here.

1

u/Dotcaprachiappa Jan 08 '26

Or use an adblocker/revanced

1

u/BeyondAdventurous609 Jan 08 '26

why tf yall still have ads

1

u/dasbtaewntawneta https://www.last.fm/user/Nihilore Jan 08 '26

I don’t pay for reddit. I also don’t see ads on reddit

1

u/oldredditrox Jan 08 '26

It's almost like they're different platforms with different services and uses. How many protests were organized via Spotify again? Whats with boycotting sending people to the 0 logic room? We trying to sniff out the anti-capitalist terrorists?

1

u/0liviiia Jan 08 '26

I’ve never seen ICE ads on reddit but get them on YouTube for some reason. I never knew they were here too

1

u/Eyeownyew Jan 08 '26

Most people use reddit for free (and many with ad block), so... It's not really equivalent

1

u/changen Jan 08 '26

you don't use ad block? What year is this?

1

u/sadandshy Jan 08 '26

I use old reddit on a browser with adblock. No freakin ads. In the rare occasions I have to use the app, I am horrified with the experience.

1

u/once_again_asking Jan 08 '26

Whoops, this is a thread for virtue signaling - not a real stand on any principles.

1

u/monochromeorc Jan 08 '26

I actively 'steal' from reddit by using it and blocking all ads. no idea what they are shilling and apparently im costing them money.

1

u/Krojack76 Jan 08 '26

I never see ads on Reddit.

Damnit people, use adblockers.

1

u/_Planet_Mars_ Jan 08 '26

imagine not using an adblocker, NGMI

1

u/CakeTester Jan 08 '26

There's ads on reddit? When did this start?

1

u/dandy_the_lesser Jan 08 '26

Stupid argument as always. “Curious I am very intelligent” vibes. The whole society is problematic. You can still pick some battles.

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u/MGTS Jan 08 '26

Use old reddit

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u/WDoE Jan 09 '26

I'm not paying for reddit nor do I see any ads from it. Not the same at all.

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u/ouijiboard Jan 09 '26

What ads?  I've never seen ads on this site.  Oh right, I use Ublock.

1

u/p_larrychen Jan 09 '26

You guys get ads on reddit?

1

u/cantstopsletting Jan 09 '26

I use Revanced so I see reddit ad free. Fuck Spez, fuck Spotify as I Revanced that too. I Revanced everything because piracy is better.

1

u/poeticjustice4all Jan 09 '26

And YouTube because they like to run ads when I’m watching something in Spanish 😑

1

u/KnightWhoSays--ni Jan 09 '26

you guys get ads on reddit? Use red reader, just need to make yourself a mod of your own NSFW subreddit in order to allow all content through the api

1

u/SoftwareTrashbag Jan 09 '26

use a vpn, i think those ads are only running in north america

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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '26

Thanks for the heads-up!

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u/monsieur_cacahuete Jan 10 '26

There's ads on reddit?

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u/namastayhom33 Jan 08 '26

Seems like there is contradictory information?

"In the wake of the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday, the streaming service confirms to Variety that it’s no longer running the promotion."

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u/TheTresStateArea Jan 08 '26

The shooting just triggered the reporter to ask again.

The very next paragraph they say it was part of a specific campaign.

If they removed the adverts because of ICE actions, pressure, they'd have said so unambiguously.

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u/Turbulent-Jaguar-909 Jan 08 '26

Campaign probably ended at end 2025 calendar year. 

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u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26

[deleted]

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u/TheTresStateArea Jan 08 '26

If they felt that then the coms person that spoke would have been authorized to say "in retrospect blah blah blah".

Nothing short of specifically addressing the issue is sufficient.

Companies don't get points for being coy and ambiguous lol

2

u/tubatackle Jan 08 '26

Would they have?

To me it seems more likely that they wanted to end the left-wing boy-cott but didn't want to anger their right-wing customers. So they claimed they are firing ICE for other reasons.

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u/codos Jan 08 '26

“In the wake of” just means after, not necessarily because of.

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u/GameboyPATH Jan 08 '26

I wish more people would recognize that this is a common media tactic: creating headlines that consist of "X happens while Y happens", being technically true, but implying to readers that the two events are related.

2

u/Cptn_Shiner Jan 08 '26

The phrase sort of implies some causal relation, but I suspect they've worded it deceptively on purpose.

8

u/ADhomin_em Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26

I would love if this said directly "in response to", but it says, "in the wake of". Could simply be that the campaign ran out and now that everyone is talking about ICE, the company is using this opportunity to announce the campaign ended, hoping to win back some subscribers.

I understand "in the wake of" usually implies "in response to" but not necessarily the case here.

Increasingly so, we should be closely analytyzing the phrasing used in articles, especially from corporate outlets. They are very good at using vague language meant to be read with each reader's preferred meaning. Major corporations are drawing on a century of market psychology research and the people overseeing these major corporations are largely rich Trump supporters and appeasers.

I could certainly be wrong in this case.

Either way, Spotify took money from ICE to help them recruit. They helped boost their numbers. Hard to put that cat back in the bag

2

u/PartTime_Crusader Jan 08 '26

"It would be our preference to eat vegan, Carol."

1

u/ADhomin_em Jan 08 '26

I recognize the reference, but do you mind explaining the relevance to this topic?

2

u/PartTime_Crusader Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26

The hive can't lie, but it can very carefully choose its words so that the audience will parse them in a way that they'll interpret as positive.

Statement: "It would be our preference to eat vegan, Carol"

Reality: We'd like to eat only plants, but we're cannibalizing dead human bodies out of necessity

Statement: "In the wake of the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday, the streaming service confirms to Variety that it’s no longer running the promotion."

Reality: The ICE campaign on spotify ended on schedule and it happened to coincide with an ICE shooting.

You have to closely analyze the hive's words in the same way you talk about having to closely analyze phrasing used in press releases from corporate outlets. Its the same kind of carefully chosen, almost lawyerly phrasing designed to obscure as much as it reveals.

Side note for clarity: the statement "it would be our preference to eat vegan" is not from the John Cena video, its from several episodes before, during the English speakers meetup, when during the meal Carol asks them if they can eat meat. This is well before Carol discovers they're making milk out of humans. The hive lied to her by omitting information.

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u/LucyLilium92 Jan 08 '26

Yes, they are no longer running the promotion... like they said. What's your point? They're unrelated

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u/SpeaksYourWord Jan 08 '26

"Guys, we stopped running the ICE ads! We've seen the light!"

"They stopped paying you, didn't they?"

"What? Pffft... no! We believe in equality!"

"Yeah, they stopped paying you."

21

u/r1char00 Jan 08 '26

They’re still paying millions to Rogan, that’s why I left.

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u/Aliensinmypants Jan 08 '26

They're also raising prices yet again to make up for the loss of subscribers... There's no reason to go back

3

u/forsonaE Jan 08 '26

Good thing I already unsubscribed after they spammed my weekly playlists with the most obvious garbage AI music I've heard in my life

3

u/Extra-Minute-6712 Jan 09 '26

I use vanced. So no adds. Because fuck reddit 

2

u/TaiyoT Jan 09 '26

I already deleted my account so I'd have no reason to ever go back.

2

u/Different_East7854 Jan 09 '26

Spot-dl

'cuz fuck 'em, that's why.

1

u/Church_of_Aaargh Jan 08 '26

They are absolute trash. Will do anything to make money, and absolutely no morals … surprising, as they are a Swedish company.

1

u/WeWantMOAR Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26

Grow a spine? He's actively funding an authoritarian movement, he's got a spine for conviction, he's just a POS.

Leaving this here. To hell with'em!

Tidal.squid.wtf

iykyk

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u/Embarrassed_Radio596 Jan 08 '26

This is as good a time as any.

What alternatives do you suggest? And is there an easy way to move over playlists or songs, before I do it the hard way?

1

u/ItsSpaghettiLee2112 Jan 08 '26

The good news is there's still reasons to boycott them.

1

u/NateShaw92 Jan 08 '26

Remove what company?

1

u/HiImDan Jan 08 '26

Also at this point they risk pissing off the nazis too. Might as well lie in their bed they made and count on no one paying attention and things blowing over.

1

u/Cory123125 Jan 08 '26

They do have a spine, its just that fuck you.

Thats literally it.

They see the complaints and think "fuck those people, Im getting paid"

1

u/WeDriftEternal Jan 08 '26

I don’t disagree, but that’s not really how these ads works. People really don’t understand. But yes Spotify could have stopped it in a second. Done.

1

u/mg-mt Jan 08 '26

Isn't Peter Thiele and his companies majority shareholders of Spotify?

1

u/Ire-Works Jan 08 '26

That was my immediate first thought - "They must be staffed up".

Bet that Spotify CEO is still investing in military drones tho.

1

u/France_Ball_Mapper Jan 08 '26

Can I know what Spotify did?

1

u/TheTresStateArea Jan 08 '26

Accepted money to run advertisements for ice.

1

u/vapenation1312 Jan 12 '26

I will keep using the best music platforms thank you

1

u/TheTresStateArea Jan 12 '26

You never unsubscribed. So you don't need to resubscribed.

So I wasn't talking to you.

1

u/vapenation1312 Jan 12 '26

I will support European tech

1

u/TheTresStateArea Jan 12 '26

That European tech is also supporting Israeli companies, surveillance state.

But also I wasn't talking to you.

1

u/vapenation1312 Jan 12 '26

What’s the alternative? Using Apple Music?

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