Partnering With Industry To Create a Safer Online Environment for Young People

By Marcelina Slota – Head of Platform Integrity, Spotify

Updated September 13, 2024

To continue our work providing positive experiences for young people, we’re proud to announce that PROJECT ROCKIT is joining our Spotify Safety Advisory Council (SSAC). Through their global advocacy, PROJECT ROCKIT empowers young people to combat bullying at school, online, and beyond, and their expertise will help inform how Spotify identifies and manages bullying and harassment however it may arise on our platform. Our work with PROJECT ROCKIT will build upon our long-standing partnerships with experts worldwide to advise how we continue building Spotify with safety by design at every step. 

“It’s a privilege for PROJECT ROCKIT to join Spotify’s Safety Advisory Council,” says Lucy Thomas, Cofounder and CEO of PROJECT ROCKIT. “For years, we’ve worked tirelessly to create safer spaces for young people, and this collaboration represents an incredible opportunity to extend that impact globally. By bringing youth-driven perspectives to Spotify, we can help shape a platform that champions both safety and authentic expression. Together, we’re paving the way for a digital world where young people are empowered, respected, and safe.” 

Original Post

Safety is a top priority for Spotify, which is why we want to make it easier for young people and parents to understand and navigate the digital world. Today, we’re announcing that we have a new Parental Guide to help do just that, and that Spotify has joined the Tech Coalition to share best practices with industry on upholding youth safety.

The Tech Coalition is a trusted organization that unites the global tech industry to foster a safer online environment for young people by preventing and combating online child sexual exploitation and abuse. This partnership expands our network of trusted third-party experts who help advise our teams on how we launch policies and products with safety by design. Some of the key stakeholders who’ve been helping guide our work in this space include Thorn, the WeProtect Global Alliance, and Safety Advisory Council members Alex Holmes (Deputy CEO of the nonprofit The Diana Award and founder of Anti-Bullying Ambassadors). 

In addition to partnering with experts across the globe, Spotify works to craft an experience that is both safe and enjoyable for young people through a number of ways, including by:

• Establishing a zero-tolerance policy against content that exploits children and Platform Rules that ban illegal and/or abusive behaviors that could harm children;
• Leveraging machine learning signals and establishing user reporting mechanisms to detect potential policy and/or legal violations;
• Staffing teams around the clock to review and promptly remove potentially violating or explicit content; and
• Connecting potentially vulnerable users to mental health resources when they search for content related to suicide, self-harm, and disordered eating content.

We have also launched our Parental Guide to help explain how parents can curate the experience that’s right for their families. Our work in this space is ongoing and we’ll continue updating this resource (and others) to reflect the best and most up–to-date information.