The controversial 'Messages' are coming to Spotify, but with these settings you can keep your account private.
A new controversy is swirling around Spotify . The streaming platform has introduced its "Messages" feature , which aims to allow any user to share music, audiobooks, or podcasts through the app .
Spotify is seeking to allow users to share content and recommendations from within the app without having to resort to other platforms—such as Instagram or WhatsApp—thus facilitating word-of-mouth exchanges. Additionally, with the arrival of this feature, users will be able to see suggestions for people to send messages to if they have already shared Spotify content with them. However, despite the fact that this feature is not yet available to certain users in Spain, Messages has generated some controversy due to alleged privacy risks , given that the app promises that conversations are end-to-end encrypted and message requests can be accepted or rejected.
Some people consider music to be something personal, so they prefer to keep the songs and playlists they listen to on a daily basis "under lock and key." To do this, simply go to Spotify, tap on your profile picture, and when a side menu opens, select " Settings and Privacy " and then tap " Privacy and Social ."
Within the menu, users can customize their 'Playback Activity,' 'Listen Visibility,' 'Profile Visibility,' and adjust certain 'Social Features.' These are the settings you should make to keep your Spotify account private.
How to make your Spotify account private- Private Session : This option temporarily hides playback activity from followers. Private sessions also automatically end after six hours.
- Playback Activity : Spotify shares your playback activity with your followers, but you can disable this feature to keep everything hidden.
- Recently Listened To Artists : Similar to playback activity, people can see who has been listened to recently on a person's profile.
- Playlists : By default, the playlists you create are visible to others, allowing them to add them to their profiles if they wish; however, this option can be disabled. Additionally, if a playlist has songs you'd prefer to keep private, you can mark it as 'Make Private.'
- Profile Visibility : From this option, you can disable the option that allows you to see who your followers and following are.
And what about Messages? Spotify assures in a statement that "users are always in control," as they can accept or reject message requests . It also emphasizes that the platform's terms of use and rules against illegal and harmful content still apply to this feature, so if something doesn't seem right, you can report it by long-pressing on the message in question, selecting "Report," and choosing how it violates the app 's rules.
On the other hand, Spotify claims that, to ensure a secure sharing experience, conversations are protected with industry-standard encryption, both in transit and at rest . This means that data will be secure both when stored and when transferred.
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