Science Vs - Spotify and Misinformation: An Update!

Episode Date: April 15, 2022

Today on the show an update about our push to get Spotify to do more to stop misinformation spreading on the platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey mates, today on the show, an update about our push to get Spotify to do more to stop misinformation spreading on the platform. As a little recap, a few months ago, Joe Rogan dropped this episode on his podcast about the COVID vaccines. It made them look really scary, didn't line up with the science. And his podcast is exclusive to Spotify, who are also our employers. A lot of people got up in arms about all of this, and it frustrated us too. So Science Vs. Editor Blythe Terrell and I sent a letter to the CEO of Spotify saying basically that the company needs to do more here. And we said that until they step up, we're only going to make new episodes that highlight misinformation on Spotify.

Since then, we tackled misinfo on Joe Rogan's show about kids who are transgender. And of course, we looked at the COVID vaccines. We even wrote a song about it. Look at misinformation on the run in the 21st century. We've also been talking to our colleagues at Spotify, spreading the nerd word about what they should do here. Like how they need to change their algorithm to make it harder for misinformation to spread. And today, some news.

Spotify told us that they are improving things. They're using some tools to prevent misinformation spreading. And one of those tools is, quote, restricting content's discoverability, which should mean that if a podcast like, I don't know, the Schmo Schmogen Experience blathers on about how dangerous the Schmovid vaccines are, when the best science says something different, Spotify would restrict and limit how that episode could be discovered, making it harder for people to find. All in all, this is not perfect, but it sure is a start. And so next week on Thursday, we have one final banger of an episode about some misinformation being spread on Spotify. And then after that, we'll be back with our regular show, sharing episodes on stuff like processed food, pollution, and ASMR.

We're asking, why does it give some people the tingles? And am I doing the voice right? So, fact you next Thursday. Yeah. Fact you next Thursday. Yeah. Fact you next Thursday. Thanks, everyone.