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For: Publisher Updated 31 Jan 2022, 17: 18 pm EST
Spotify is the main application for playing music via streaming used by top artists around the world. And now it’s the largest podcast provider in the country. One of his signature shows and the most popular is Joe Rogan’s (“Joe Rogan Experience”). This former wrestling commentator, comedian and actor recently signed an exclusive deal with Spotify for 100 million dollars.
Rogan has been feeding conspiracy theories about treatments and vaccines against COVID-19. With four long weekly episodes with an audience of millions, it has a huge convening power.
With Spotify’s safe-conduct, it helps to prevent the population from getting vaccinated, and consequently from contracting the virus .
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Unfortunately, the spread and consumption of lies about the coronavirus are common among those who identify themselves as Republicans or Trump supporters.
And it is party identification, rather than gender, age, place of residence, education or income, that defines the difference of opinion regarding COVID.
In a recent poll, 80% of Republicans announced that they still with its normal activity despite the outbreak of the omicron variant. Only 31% prioritize the safety and health of the public. Among Democrats, the figures are reversed.
These results suggest that their irrational beliefs about COVID are fundamental to their identity as conservatives.
To return to the path of normality, it is crucial that as a nation we combat the spread of lies.
In good time then, singer Neil Young demanded that Spotify reject Rogan under penalty of him removing his songs.
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Young sought to alert against “the threat that COVID misinformation on Spotify poses to the world, particularly to our young people who think that everything they hear on SPOTIFY is true.”
But Spotify ignored it, choosing money over morality.
He had also ignored days ago an open letter signed by hundreds of doctors and professionals according to which Rogan promotes “unfounded conspiracy theories… particularly about the COVID-19”.
However, when other artists, health professionals and the media joined in, and the company was disowned by millions on social media, it backed down. Yesterday he announced that he would implement a system to denounce disinformation in his own environment and guide the listener to reliable sources.
Rogan himself promised to put more care in the selection of his guests in the future.
This can be considered a victory for those who abhor the lies so spread with impunity in our country and that have been causing so much damage.
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A partial victory, small, but significant. Because it can be reproduced.
It is also reassuring that multiple artists were willing to give up more than half of their broadcast income to maintain an ideal of democracy and true.