Spotify running ICE recruitment ads about "dangerous illegals"

https://djmag.com/news/spotify-defends-running-ice-recruitment-ads-about-dangerous-illegals-part-of-us-government

64•usrxcghghj•10h ago

Comments

jMyles•9h ago

This is one of (though not the only) reasons I'm uncomfortable having my music on Spotify.

I do still publish there, but I vastly prefer my fans grab my music via IPFS or Bit Torrent.

It's so bizarre that someone hovering over the "play" button on one of my songs doesn't know whether they're about to hear Harry's mandolin or an authoritarian recruiting pitch.

resters•9h ago

I cancelled over it. Not worth it to support a company that is willing to profit from ICE.

MangoToupe•9h ago

If you think apple won't bend over for ICE you're crazy

gherkinnn•9h ago

They have in the app store, so yes. And yet, I can't boycott everything at once. Facebook and Spotify are a good place to start, there are plenty of alternatives and plenty of alternative reasons to cancel your subscription.

MangoToupe•8h ago

Short of moving out of the country or certain acts that aren't legal to advocate for in this country, who cares what you do

inemesitaffia•5h ago

HBO Max, X, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, LinkedIn and Meta, as well as cable television channels.

krembo•9h ago

You could say the same about DEA, in anarchy each sets its own line for what's good or bad, legal or not.

vincnetas•9h ago

My reason why i consider canceling is that Spotify decided that it also wants to be a video platform. And now i have to enable screen time on Spotify so that my kids wont spend whole time "listening to music" but actually watching brainrot. Before there was no need for screen time limits on spotify.

anigbrowl•9h ago

There's already an artist-led movement to boycott Spotify, if you were looking for motivation to move your stuff to a competitor like Bandcamp or Tidal. This article is not about the ICE advertisements.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/12/spotify-b...

acosmism•9h ago

ditto. my friends can't even play my song even if i sent a link to my profile

insane_dreamer•8h ago

What about Bandcamp?

MangoToupe•9h ago

I mean, yea. Organizations will follow the hand that feeds them. You might as well be surprised that Israel is bombing civilians during a supposed ceasefire, or that SNAP benefits end Nov 1st. We just live in a horrifyingly shitty place.

wilt6269•7h ago

Wow, that jump to Israel was acrobatic. One moment we’re talking ICE ads, the next you’ve built a geopolitical mood board with a side of despair. For what it’s worth, Israel hit Hamas infrastructure after Hamas broke the ceasefire - not exactly random fireworks. But I get it, outrage is the new sourdough starter. everyone’s feeding theirs daily. Maybe take a breath before you decide Spotify is somehow responsible for the fall of civilization.

cess11•3h ago

What do you mean, "Hamas broke the ceasefire"? Even US officials talking to the press agrees that it was in the area of Rafah where there is no al-Qassam presence and they likely ran over some unexploded ordnance.

ICE is very similar to israeli conduct in the occupied territories and likely informed by it, it's not a very far-fetched association to make.

MangoToupe•23m ago

> after Hamas broke the ceasefire

c'mon bro, try to be a little less credulous

rich_sasha•9h ago

Th article doesn't clarify... Are the "dangerous illegals [...] rampaging the streets" meant to be immigrants or ICE agents?

gherkinnn•9h ago

There are plenty of alternatives. Time to cancel your subscriptions and remember Spotify's decisions once (if ever) the US government regains its senses. What ICE is doing is disgusting and what Trump is doing with ICE is scary.

locopati•9h ago

The best time to quit Spotify was years ago when they gave Joe Rogan a huge paycheck. The next best time is now.

inemesitaffia•5h ago

HBO Max, X, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, LinkedIn and Meta, as well as cable television channels.

Gud•4h ago

Honestly I don’t get the Joe Rogan hate. Seems like a pretty normal person to me, flaws and all.

tastyface•4h ago

Rogan's endorsement might have pushed the Trump administration to victory. Easy to hate someone who directly contributed to the end of democracy in your country. (Though I guess the blame is more with the millions of people who take advice from a self-professed meathead.)

mingus88•2h ago

There are a lot of average people out there. I don’t need to hear their ill informed takes, either.

I would rather live in a world where we give out quarter of a billion dollar deals to people who do better, but that’s not the world we live in, so you’ll just have to deal with Rogan critics instead.

thunky•1h ago

> There are a lot of average people out there. I don’t need to hear their ill informed takes, either

Do those people host podcasts doing long form interviews with interesting people too?

bryanlarsen•2h ago

Joe Rogan probably did more to normalize fascism in the US than anybody. Despite those views being held by a large minority of people in the US, it was still seen as fringe. Whether Rogan was cause or symptom of fascism becoming mainstream, he's understandably widely hated for it.

pploug•8h ago

From article: ads are also running on: HBO Max, X, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, LinkedIn and Meta, as well as cable television channels.

And what choice do these platforms really have? They either run ice ads, or risk getting on the bad side on the administration.

Incipient•5h ago

I'd gladly cancel Spotify, however "play song X" on Android, and the move between devices and keep playing/having my music/podcasts is very convenient - is there an alternative?

yomismoaqui•3h ago

YouTube Music, I'm paying 13.99€ for this + YouTube Premium.

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