Spotify expresses regret after customers enraged in social media about the streaming app's unlawful access of personal information due to its new privacy policy.
"We are in the middle of rolling out new terms and conditions and privacy policy and they've caused a lot of confusion about what kind of information we access and what we do with it. We apologize for that. We should have done a better job in communicating what these policies mean and how any information you choose to share will - and will not - be used," Spotify CEO Daniel Ek wrote in a blog post, stating they are still committed to securing users personal information.
BBC reported that customers reacted when they were informed about the latest policy updates which Spotify applied recently.
"Hello. As a consumer, I've always loved your service. You're the reason I stopped pirating music. Please consider not being evil," Markus Persson tweeted Spotify.
In a news release from CNN Money, the new privacy guidelines track location, collects photos, Facebook posts and sends personal information to advertisers.
The streaming service with 75 million users explained the new procedure. The information includes voice controls, contacts, photos, and location. Ek emphasizes that users still have full control to permit Spotify in getting information from them and they have the option to decline it.
The CEO indicates that the information obtained is for a particular purpose; that is, in turn, for customers to experience a more personalized Spotify in the future.
Spotify won't scan and import photo galleries. And if they gained access to photos, only the images selected will be used to share for cover art and profile image. Apparently, they would use location to personalize suggestions and to update the user of the trending music in the region.
In the future, the music streaming app could also show other Spotify friends too. This would only be possible if they would acquire users' contacts.
More so, he added that they share data with partners for marketing and advertising, but the personal identity is not divulged to firms.
Spotify wants to be transparent to its consumers; how the new development works, and why those actions are essential.
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