Is this the norm or is it too far?
With Spotify’s latest update comes an update to their privacy policy which could scare off a lot of its users.
People conscious of data privacy may already have deleted their Spotify and set fire to their computers and phones in a bid to protect themselves (this may be slightly melodramatic).
According to Gizmodo, the new update will allow Spotify to trawl through your phone, look at and share your photos while also having access to their contacts.
“With your permission, we may collect information stored on your mobile device, such as contacts, photos, or media files. Local law may require that you seek the consent of your contacts to provide their personal information to Spotify, which may use that information for the purposes specified in this Privacy Policy.”
Spotify is also going to track where you go and use that information. It will also check who’re you’re hanging around with through the phone’s bluetooth connection and also totally irrelevant data about how quick you’re walking and moving.
“Depending on the type of device that you use to interact with the Service and your settings, we may also collect information about your location based on, for example, your phone’s GPS location or other forms of locating mobile devices (e.g., Bluetooth). We may also collect sensor data (e.g., data about the speed of your movements, such as whether you are running, walking, or in transit).”
As well as storing your credit card information, the new privacy policy will authorise them to share them it with certain ‘trusted business partners’, according to Uproxx.
“If you sign up for a Trial (as defined in the Terms and Conditions of Use), purchase any of our Paid Subscriptions (as defined in the Terms and Conditions of Use), or make other purchases through the Service, your credit or debit card information (such as card type and expiration date) and other financial data that we need to process your payment may be collected and stored by us and/or the payment processors with which we work. We may also collect some limited information, such as your postal code, mobile number, and details of your transaction history, all of which are necessary to provide the Service.”
.@Spotify Hello. As a consumer, I've always loved your service. You're the reason I stopped pirating music. Please consider not being evil.
— notch (@notch) August 21, 2015
Spotify were quick to reply to the anger at the change in its policy with this statement:
“Spotify is constantly innovating and evolving its service to deliver the best possible experience for our users. This means delivering the perfect recommendations for every moment, and helping you to enjoy, discover and share more music than ever before. The data accessed simply helps us to tailor improved experiences to our users, and build new and personalized products for the future. Recent new features include Spotify Running, which matches the BPM of your music to the pace of your run, or the new Discover Weekly feature, which curates a weekly playlist based on your tastes.
Hat-tip to Gizmodo.
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