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Spotify updates privacy policy with clearer language after backlash

Spotify updates privacy policy with clearer language after backlash

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Spotify is overhauling its privacy policy today with plainer language that should be readable to the average human — not just lawyers. The streaming service found itself amid a furor last month after its users complained about what they saw as Spotify overstepping its bounds and requesting more information on them than necessary. For the most part, Spotify wasn't really asking for that much, but it made the mistake of writing its privacy policy in legalese, leading to a lot of confusion; many other major services, like Instagram, have already learned that having incomprehensible service policies can lead exactly this kind of problem.

"We hope it provides a healthy dose of clarity and context."

That's exactly what Spotify is rolling out today. Its new privacy policy is supposed to be a plain-language rewrite of the one introduced last month. It even includes a long introduction that's basically just Spotify outlining what it will and won't do with your data, as well as what types of data it collections and under what circumstances it'll share information. The privacy policy is still fairly dry — it is a privacy policy, after all — but it opens with an explainer that should ease many concerns. "The introduction is intended to be a clear statement of our approach and principles about privacy," Spotify CEO Daniel Ek writes in a blog post. "We hope it provides a healthy dose of clarity and context too."

Likely to spare itself any further trouble, Spotify says that anyone who already agreed to last month's privacy policy updates won't need to agree again to this one. For those who haven't agreed yet, this updated policy should be appearing "in the coming days and weeks." And if you still don't like it, you can just go use Apple Music, Google Play Music, Rdio, Microsoft Groove, Rhapsody, or Tidal — surely none of those companies are collecting information on you.