backla之后一个星期sh stirred up by rock icons尼尔年轻andJoni Mitchell, who demanded Spotify remove their music as long as the streaming service offersJoe Rogan a platform to spread misinformation about the COVID vaccine on his popular podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the comedian took to social media on Sunday, Jan. 30, to address the controversy.
“I’m not trying to promote misinformation, I’m not trying to be controversial,” Rogan said in a video posted to Instagram. “I’ve never tried to do anything with this podcast other than to just talk to people.”
Rogan said the purpose of his podcast was to have conversations with people who have “differing opinions.” He added that he books guests on his podcast himself and deliberately tries to balance out “the controversial ones.”
Rogan has repeatedly questioned the efficacy of the COVID vaccine on his podcast and last month featuredan interview withDr. Robert Malone, who has been banned from Twitter for spreading misinformation and falsely suggesting that millions of people had been hypnotized into believing that the vaccines work to prevent serious disease.
Rogan pointed out that his show has also included interviews with reputable infectious disease experts including Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the chief medical correspondent for CNN; Dr. Michael Osterholm, who is a member of President Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board; and Dr. Peter Hotez from Baylor College of Medicine.
“I wanted to hear what their opinion is,” Rogan said in his message. He added, “I do not know if they’re right. I don’t know because I’m not a doctor; I’m not a scientist. I’m just a person who sits down and talks to people and has conversations with them.”
Young, who survived polio as a child, raised concerns that Rogan’s podcast was a source of misinformation for an impressionable audience. Each episode reportedlyattracts 11 million users.
“Spotify has recently become a very damaging force via its public misinformation and lies about COVID,” Young wrote ina letterposted on his website Wednesday, Jan. 26. “Most of the listeners hearing the unfactual, misleading and false COVID information on Spotify are 24 years old, impressionable and easy to swing to the wrong side of the truth.”
Mitchell echoed that sentiment when she asked the service to remove her music on Friday, Jan. 28.
“Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives,” Mitchell wrote in a post on herofficial website. “I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.”
In hermissiveto the streaming service, Mitchell reprinted a lettersigned by a group of doctors and scientists calling on Spotify to adopt policies to prevent the spread of misinformation on their platform that reads:“Though Spotify has a responsibility to mitigate the spread of misinformation on its platform, the company presently has no misinformation policy.”
Themusic streaming giantsaid on Sunday that it will now add content advisories before podcasts discussing the virus.
“Personally, there are plenty of individuals and views on Spotify that I disagree with strongly,” Spotify Chief Executive Daniel Ek said. “It is important to me that we don’t take on the position of being content censor while also making sure that there are rules in place and consequences for those who violate them.”
He said the advisories will link to Spotify’s fact-based COVID-19 hub in what he described as a “new effort to combat misinformation.” The initiative will roll out over the next few days.
Rogan said he welcomed the idea of adding advisories before podcasts related to COVID-19.
“Sure, have that on there. I’m very happy with that,” he said.
In a follow-upletterposted to his website on Friday, Young clarified that the point of his protest was not to censor the podcast host.
“I support free speech. I have never been in favor of censorship. Private companies have the right to choose what they profit from, just as I can choose not to have my music support a platform that disseminates harmful information,” Young said. “I am happy and proud to stand in solidarity with the front line health care workers who risk their lives every day to help others.”
Fans can still stream Young’s music on his subscription website,neilyoungarchives.com, which costs between $19.99 to $99.99 per year, or on other select streaming services.
美联社(Associated Press)的贡献to this report.