When you’re done subjecting your friends and family to your Spotify Decade Wrapped results (this writer really loved the Cars!), start mourning the fact that there’s only four days left to hear a political ad sandwiched between “You Might Think” and “Let’s Go.” According to Variety, the streaming service has decided to suspend political ad sales for 2020, citing the need to improve and streamline how these ads are vetted. “At this point in time, we do not yet have the necessary level of robustness in our processes, systems and tools to responsibly validate and review this content,” a Spotify rep told Variety. “We will reassess this decision as we continue to evolve our capabilities.”
While users with Spotify Premium accounts don’t have to deal with pesky advertisement breaks, the ad-supported user tier, as well as Spotify original and exclusive podcasts, commonly squeeze some ads in about every 20 to 30 minutes. Variety notes that while political ads aren’t particularly dominant on the streaming service, Bernie Sanders and the Republican National Committee recently purchased ad space for their respective campaigns.
