Podcast host Joe Rogan, who is well known for inviting a wide variety of guests— some with rather unorthodox viewpoints— has landed in hot water recently, after Spotify began to face scrutiny over misleading Covid-19 content— much of which was being perpetuated by the podcaster.
Shares of Spotify were sent tumbling last week, after a number of users and musicians criticized the streaming platform for spreading controversial Covid-19 information via its most popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Musicians Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Nils Lofgren have already removed their content from Spotify in protest, as the hashtag #DeleteSpotify gained traction across social media platforms.
The final tipping point was Rogan’s episode hosting mRNA virologist Dr. Robert Malone, who was recently banned from Twitter over his promotion of misleading claims surrounding Covid-19 vaccines. After receiving substantial backlash and seeing its stock plummet sharply, Spotify went into damage control mode and quickly introduced a disclaimer to any podcasts related to Covid-19, as well as a new set of rules governing the type of content allowed on the platform.
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“This advisory will direct listeners to our dedicated COVID-19 Hub, a resource that provides easy access to data-driven facts, up-to-date information as shared by scientists, physicians, academics and public health authorities around the world, as well as links to trusted sources,” wrote Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, in a letter addressing the latest controversy.
Rogan, in the meantime, has taken to his Instagram account to issue an apology over the growing controversy surrounding his podcasts, pledging to do more thorough research going forward. “If I’ve p—-ed you off, I’m sorry,” he said in a video, adding that he will do better to host more guests with differing viewpoints. “[I] will do my best to make sure I have researched these topics, the controversial ones in particular, and have all the pertinent facts at hand before I discuss them.”
Information for this briefing was found via Spotify and Instagram. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
