Spotify launches private messaging for users
By ForGeeks
Spotify is adding a feature personal messaging to the app that will allow music, podcasts and audiobooks to be shared right inside the service. The innovation will begin rolling out this week in “select countries” and will be available on mobile devices for users over the age of 16 on both Free and Premium accounts.
How the new feature works
Messages can be sent via the share icon in Now Playing mode. By selecting a friend, the user can forward a track, podcast or book. You can send messages by:
- to participants in your family or student plan;
- users with whom there have been previous shared interactions – for example, through Jams, Blends, or shared playlists.
All content received and sent will be stored in a separate Messages tab accessible from the profile menu. In addition to content links, the chat supports text messages and emoji reactions. Messages are protected by “industry standard encryption”. Users can:
- accept or reject correspondence requests;
- block other users;
- completely disable the messaging function.
You can complain about a text, an attachment, or the account itself by holding up a message. Spotify says it will proactively scan correspondence for illegal and malicious content and additionally check chats flagged by users.
Spotify’s social experiment
Interestingly, the feature is available even in the free version of the service, where most features are severely limited. Spotify notes that the innovation is meant to complement complement the familiar ways of sharing content via Instagram*, WhatsApp, TikTok and other social networks, rather than replace them.
It’s unclear whether artists will be able to use the feature to communicate with fans. But the arrival of private messaging paves the way for new social features within Spotify, should they be demanded by the community.
* Owned by Meta, it’s recognized as an extremist organization in Russia and its activities are banned.
