What you need to know
- Spotify is shutting down its services in Russia.
- It says that there is a risk to staff because of new laws restricting information.
- It has decided to fully suspend services in Russia.
Spotify is pulling out of Russia in response to new laws pertaining to information and free expression, the company has confirmed to iMore.
Spotify says that it has taken the difficult decision to suspend its services in Russia, but that operational steps it needs to take mean the move won't take effect until early April.
A spokesperson told iMore:
"Spotify has continued to believe that it's critically important to try and keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information in the region. Unfortunately, recently enacted legislation further restricting access to information, eliminating free expression, and criminalizing certain types of news puts the safety of Spotify's employees and possibly even our listeners at risk. After carefully considering our options and the current circumstances, we have come to the difficult decision to fully suspend our service in Russia."
Some major companies have pulled out of Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Apple ceased selling products in the country and has severely limited Apple Pay in Russia, however, the majority of its services remain online.
Earlier this month Spotify closed its offices in the country and removed some state-sponsored content from its platform. However, at the time it reiterated the above sentiment regarding operation stating, "we think it's critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to allow for the global flow of information."
The company was careful to note that it was only suspending its services, suggesting it is open to returning in the future. Spotify is one of the best iPhone apps for streaming music alongside Apple Music.
