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Spotify has announced that it is going to suspend its music streaming service in Russia in a response to the country’s new media law. The company is expected to stop its services in the country in early April according to a report by Reuters citing a person familiar with the development. Also Read – Top 5 Podcast apps for iOS, Android in 2022: Spotify, Pocket Casts, more
To recall, Spotify has already closed off its Russian office branch for an indefinite period of time, due to the country’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine. Also Read – Google could ban sale of all Android devices in Russia: What we know
The company is now looking to shut services in the country due to the new media law, according to which spreading fake news about the military is punishable with up to 15 years in prison. Also Read – Google Play Store to support third-party billing starting with Spotify
Spotify has continued to believe that it’s critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information from the region,” Spotify said in a statement. “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 the possibility of even our listeners at risk.”
To recall, Spotify had removed content from Kremlin-backed outlets RT and Sputnik earlier this month, right along the same time when it shut down its regional offices in the country. Now, with the shutting down of services, it is taking the next step in blocking off the country.
In other news, Netflix also recently suspended its streaming services in Russia, stating that it had no plans to add state-run channels to its Russian service, despite a regulation that would require it to do so. Apart from Spotify and Netflix, other tech companies including Meta, Microsoft and more have also shut down services in Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
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