Spotify Introduces In-App Parental Controls for Young Listeners in Family Plans
In a move following other tech giants, Spotify has announced the introduction of in-app parental controls in the form of "managed accounts" for listeners under the age of 13. This new feature, initially offered as a pilot program in select markets such as Denmark, New Zealand, and Sweden, allows parents or guardians on a Family plan to manage the accounts of young listeners.
Parents can now prevent young listeners from watching videos, playing content, or viewing Canvas videos labeled explicit. They can also decide which artists or tracks their child can listen to using a new control feature. This gives parents more control over the music their child has access to without restricting them to the more kid-friendly Spotify Kids app.
This move by Spotify comes in response to increasing pressure from regulators for Big Tech companies to provide more parental controls over their platforms. Other tech companies like TikTok, Meta, Snap, and YouTube have also implemented similar features, as well as streaming services like Netflix, Max, and Hulu.
For parents who currently share an account with their kids, switching to a Family plan will provide separate recommendations for each account, ensuring that musical tastes are not mixed up. This will also make Spotify's end-of-year Wrapped results more accurate.
To access this new feature, parents can go to the Accounts page in the app and select the option to "Add a listener aged under 13," then follow the instructions to set up the controls.
In conclusion, this new feature from Spotify gives parents more control over the content their young listeners have access to on the platform. By implementing these parental controls, Spotify aims to provide a safer and more tailored music experience for families, while also complying with regulatory pressures for more oversight in the tech industry.