Senators Call for The FTC to Launch an Investigation into Spotify for Forcing Subscribers into Higher-Priced Subscriptions Without Their Consent.

Comments

• ryper@lemmy.ca ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  Current regulations allow digital music providers to pay a lower music royalty rate if their paid music subscription offering is bundled with other legitimate product offerings. Seeing an opportunity, Spotify has exploited this regulation by converting all Premium Plan music subscribers into a new, bundled subscription offering without consumers’ consent or any notice. Spotify’s intent seems clear—to slash the statutory royalties it pays to songwriters and music publishers.

  Spotify has priced its Audiobook Access plan with 15 hours of listening time per month from a limited catalog of 200,000 audiobooks at $9.99/month. In contrast, Spotify’s music-only Basic Plan—which includes unlimited hours of listening from a catalog of over 100 million songs—is priced only a dollar more. Under the regulations, the higher the Audiobooks Access plan is priced, the lower the music royalty Spotify must pay.

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• SinningStromgald@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  I have never had this problem but if people are getting tricked/forced into higher tier plans then they need to be investigated.

  Once or twice a month I will get a popup when I open Spotify to upgrade to duo plan but I just tap the “X” and move on.

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• thesohoriots@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  The Federal Toothless Commission at this point?

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  • thefartographer@lemm.ee ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    More like the “Fart Toot Caca,” amirite???
    * Hold for nonexistent applause *

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• solsangraal@lemmy.zip ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  switched to tidal months ago and haven’t looked back. spotify offers absolutely nothing that can’t be gotten from another music streamer and without all the shitty bullshit of spotify. unless you just simply can’t live without podcasts

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  • Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    ‘Member when podcasts were just RSS feeds with MP3 attachments?

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    • wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Most still are/can be. Enough that I find it hard to believe people are missing out without podcasts through these paid services.

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