Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Say They’ve Been Begging Spotify To Address COVID Misinformation For Months

Spotify, the world’s biggest music streaming service, hasn’t had a great week. They’re finally starting to get their comeuppance for having exclusive rights to the biggest podcast in the world: The Joe Rogan Experience, where the former host of a show where people ate bugs can’t stop spreading dangerous misinformation about the public health crisis we’ve been living with for two years and counting. Artists like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell have demanded their music be removed, potentially opening the flood gates for a mass exodus.

Now another pair who also have ties with Spotify are…well, not severing ties with them but at least issuing a stern statement. As per CNN, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — who announced an exclusive partnership with the streamer, for whom they will produce podcasts, back in 2020 — released a statement not only advising them to shape up but revealing that they’ve been doing that for nearly a year.

“Last April, our co-founders began expressing concerns to our partners at Spotify about the all too real consequences of COVID-19 misinformation on its platform,” a spokesperson with Archewell, the pair’s foundation, said. “We have continued to express our concerns to Spotify to ensure changes to its platform are made to help address this public health crisis.”

They added, “We look to Spotify to meet this moment and are committed to continuing our work together as it does.”

The statement did not name names, but it’s clear they were referencing Rogan, who has already been condemned by scientists for spreading nonsense to his fanbase. But given how they reacted to Neil Young pulling some of the greatest music ever recorded from their coffers, it’s clear where Spotify brass’ priorities lie. Meanwhile, perhaps Prince Harry and Meghan should do something more than simply express concern.