I was shocked to learn that Spotify was headquartered in Sweden. Until I read about Spotify and their CEO I had assumed they were based in America because to me they were just like all the other big tech companies in terms of lack of morals and ethics.

Spotify has a deal with Joe Rogan worth up to $250 million according to an article published in Variety. This was the deal that was signed in 2024. They’ve previously given Joe Rogan other very lucrative deals giving Rogan a massive platform and funding to spread disinformation, propaganda and lies and don’t forget things like saying the N word.

So by using Spotify you’re funding Joe Rogan who as we all know is based in America.

But that’s not the only way your money was used to support the far-right in America. Spotify donated to Trump’s inauguration. Do you want your money being used to bribe Trump?

In addition Spotify has also garnered controversy for allowing ICE recruitment ads and is already being boycotted by groups such as Indivisible.

Also let’s talk about Daniel Ek who was until recently their CEO but will still be very involved with Spotify. Was he born in Sweden? Yes. But what are his values like? Are they different from American billionaires? “Daniel Ek warns Sweden that Spotify may be forced to grow elsewhere” hmmmm… I kind of having a feeling that might be a no.

Another thing is I researched how many employees Spotify has in each country and multiple websites such as this one claimed they have the most in the United States. At the end of the day how much of a European company is Spotify if they just have their headquartes in Sweden and is from what I’ve read mostly used for executives and operations?

You know what they say “if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, then it probably is a duck”. I personally don’t see any reason for treating Spotify different from all the US-based big tech companies but I’ll admit at the end of the day it is true they are headquartered in the EU so I propose a compromise: use Spotify as much as you like as long as you’re using the free version and using the website (not the app which has more ability to collect data and track you) with an ad blocker such as uBlock Origin. Cancel your subscriptions. When you cancel mention that you don’t like your money being used to fund disinformation via paying Joe Rogan so much money.

  • Babalugats@feddit.ukEnglish
    1·
    20 days ago

    Would we call Apple an Irish company because they evade taxes in Ireland?

    You’ve lost me there. I won’t disagree with your points, but I am curious…

    Spotify was created and built in Sweden by Swedish people. I know nothing about what you are referring to regarding the far right and Joe Rogan etc. - I have heard of him, but I do not know anything about him, what he looks like or what he has actually said about anything. I do know that (I think) he is very far right in his opinion.

    But… Can the far left or whoever are the opposite of these extreme politics not just pay for advertisements or produce popular content etc. on the same platform, would spotify take their money, allow their content for profit?

    Or

    Are spotify exclusively working and promoting the far right?

    I don’t agree with shutting down somebody or something because you don’t agree with them or it. I believe it could be far more effective and better for everyone if you explain why you think somebody is wrong in what they are saying, and what way you think it would be better to do something that they are talking about.

    The Irish government allowing Apple, Google, Amazon and other big tech to not pay any taxes whilst not really helping the country as a whole is a good reason for the Irish to dislike them, but they (the government) believe that the employment - and more importantly the money that they bring to them is more important than their countries future. It will not be 20 years before they have all pulled out and left Ireland like one of the barren states in the U.S., devoid of employment, with both Dublin and Cork falling into Urban decay.

    It is possible to agree with a little bit of one and little bit of the other, and a lot of neither. No point in silencing one to make your voice louder. Just make your points better.