This is an old version of this policy which is no longer valid. The latest version can be found here.

Spotify Privacy Policy

Effective as of 26 November 2021

  1. About this Policy
  2. Your personal data rights and controls
  3. Personal data we collect about you
  4. Our purpose for using your personal data
  5. Sharing your personal data
  6. Data retention and deletion
  7. Transfer to other countries
  8. Keeping your personal data safe
  9. Children
  10. Changes to this Policy
  11. How to contact us

1. About this Policy

This Policy describes how we process your personal data at Spotify AB

It applies to your use of:

  • all Spotify streaming services as a user. This includes use of these services under our free or paid options (each a "Service Option"); and
  • other Spotify services which include a link to this Privacy Policy (e.g. Spotify websites, Customer Support and the Community Site).

From now on, we'll collectively call these the "Spotify Service".

From time to time, we may develop new or offer additional services. They'll also be subject to this Policy, unless stated otherwise when we introduce them.

This Policy is not...

  • the Spotify Terms of Use. That's a separate document, outlining the legal contract between you and Spotify for using the Spotify Service. It also describes the rules of Spotify and your user rights.
  • about your use of other Spotify services which have their own dedicated privacy policy, such as Anchor, Soundtrap, Megaphone and Spotify Live.

2. Your personal data rights and controls

Privacy laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), give rights to individuals over their personal data. Accordingly we are happy to offer transparency and access controls to help users take advantage of those rights. As available, and except as limited under applicable law, please see your rights and their descriptions in this table:
It’s your right to...
Access
Be informed of the personal data we process about you and to request access to it
Rectification
Request that we amend or update your personal data where it’s inaccurate or incomplete
Erasure
Request that we delete certain of your personal data
Restriction
Request that we temporarily or permanently stop processing all or some of your personal data
Object
Object to us processing your personal data at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation

Object to your personal data being processed for direct marketing purposes
Data portability
Request a copy of your personal data in electronic format and the right to transmit that personal data for use in another party’s service
Not be subject to automated decision-making
Not be subject to a decision based solely on automated decision making (decisions without human involvement), including profiling, where the decision would have a legal effect on you or produce a similarly significant effect

How to exercise your rights with Spotify

Access: To request a copy of your personal data from Spotify, visit your account Privacy Settings. There you can automatically download much of your personal data and find out how to request more information.

Rectification: You can edit your User Data under "Edit profile" in your account.

Erasure:

  • You can remove audio content from your profile by selecting the relevant content and choosing to remove it. For example, you can remove playlists from your profile, or remove a track from your playlist.
  • To request erasure of your other personal data from Spotify (e.g. your User Data, Usage Data and other data listed in Section 3 'Personal data we collect about you' below), see our support page.

Your other rights: You can contact Spotify directly to exercise your rights at any time (see Section 11 'How to contact us'). A legal representative may request at any time to view, correct/delete, suspend the processing of, and withdraw consent to personal data. In this case, a legal representative has to contact us by using the contact information above.

In addition, here are more privacy resources and controls:

  • Privacy Center - more information about how Spotify uses your personal data, your rights, and how to use those rights.
  • Privacy Settings - control the processing of certain personal data, including Tailored Ads.
  • Notification Settings - learn how to set which marketing communications you get from Spotify.
  • Settings (Desktop and Mobile) - control certain aspects of the Spotify Service such as "Social" and "Explicit Content".

You also have the right to contact the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection or your local data protection authority about any questions or concerns.

3. Personal data we collect about you

These tables set out the categories of personal data we collect and use.

Collected when you sign up for the Spotify Service
or when you update your account
Category
Description
User Data
Personal data that we need to create your Spotify account and enables you to use the Spotify Service.

The type of data collected depends on the type of Service Option you have, how you create your account, the country you are in, and if you use third party services to sign in. This may include your:

  • profile name
  • email address
  • phone number
  • date of birth
  • gender
  • street address
  • country

We receive some of this data from you e.g. from the sign up form or account page.

We also collect some of this data from your device e.g. country. For more information about how we collect country, see “Your general (non-precise) location”.
Street Address Data
We may ask for your street address for the following reasons:

  • to check eligibility for a Service Option
  • for tax administration
  • to deliver physical goods or gifts requested by you

In some cases, we may use a third party mapping application (such as Google Maps) to help you verify your address.
Collected through your use of the Spotify Service
Categories
Description
Usage Data

Personal data collected about you when you’re accessing and/or using the Spotify Service.

There are a few types of information this includes, detailed in the following sections.

Information about how you use Spotify

Examples include:
  • Information about your Spotify Service Option.
  • Your actions with the Spotify Service (including date and time), such as:
    • search queries
    • streaming history
    • playlists you create
    • your library
    • browsing history
    • account settings
    • interactions with other Spotify users
    • your use of third party services, devices and applications in connection with the Spotify Service
  • Inferences (i.e., our understanding) of your interests and preferences based on your usage of the Spotify Service.
  • Content you post to any part of the Spotify Service, such as images, text, playlist titles, communications, and other types of content.
Your technical data

Examples include:

  • URL information
  • Online identifiers such as IP addresses
  • Information about the devices you use such as:
    • device IDs
    • network connection type (e.g. wifi, 4G, LTE, Bluetooth)
    • provider
    • network and device performance
    • browser type
    • language
    • information enabling digital rights management
    • operating system
    • Spotify application version
  • Information (such as the device name, device identifiers, brand and version) which enables us to discover and connect with third party devices and applications such as those listed below:
    • devices on your wifi network (such as speakers) which can connect to the Spotify Service
    • devices made available by your operating system when connecting via Bluetooth, plugin, and installation
    • Spotify partner applications to determine whether the application is installed on your device

Your general (non-precise) location

This may be understood from technical data (e.g. your IP address, language setting of your device, or payment currency).

We need this to meet geographic requirements in our agreements with the owners of content on the Spotify Service, and to deliver content and advertising that’s relevant to you.

Your device sensor data

Motion-generated or orientation-generated mobile sensor data (e.g. accelerometer or gyroscope) if needed to provide features of the Spotify Service that require this data.

Cookies

To provide personalized services Spotify uses "cookies" to store and process your data. A cookie is a small file which the http server for the operation of a website or application sends to the user's device browser, and may be saved to their device.
  • Purpose of cookies: Cookies are used to deliver content and ads to you, to understand how you interact with online content and ads, to assess the performance of our website and to personalise the content and ads that you see.
  • Installation, operation and rejection of the cookies: You can withdraw or modify your consent to our use of cookies at any time. If you no longer wish to receive cookies you can use your web browser settings to accept, refuse and delete cookies. To do this, follow the instructions provided by your browser (usually located within the “Help”, “Tools” or “Edit” settings).
Additional data you may choose to give us
Categories
Description
Voice Data

If voice features are available in your market and only where you’ve given permission, we collect voice data (audio clips of your voice).

This makes it possible for us to provide and improve Spotify’s voice features.

For more information see our Voice Control Policy.
Payment and Purchase Data
If you make any purchases from Spotify (including a paid Service Option) or sign up for a trial, we will need to process your payment data.

The exact personal data collected will vary depending on the payment method, but will include information such as:
  • name
  • date of birth
  • credit or debit card type, expiration date, and certain digits of your card numberNote: For security, we never store your full card number
  • ZIP/postal code
  • mobile phone number
  • details of your purchase and payment history
Contests, Surveys, and Sweepstakes Data
When you complete any forms, respond to a survey or questionnaire, or take part in a contest or sweepstake, we collect the personal data you provide.
Collected from other (‘third party’) sources
Categories of third parties
Description
Authentication partners
If you register for or log into our services using another service, we’ll receive your information from them to help create your account with us.
Third party applications, services and devices you connect to your Spotify account
If you connect your Spotify account to a third party application, service and/or devices, we may collect certain information from them to make the integration possible.

These third party apps, services or devices may include:
  • social media
  • devices including:
    • audio (e.g. speakers and headphones)
    • smart watches
    • televisions
    • mobile phones and tablets
    • automotive (e.g. cars)
    • games consoles
  • services or platforms such as voice assistants
We’ll ask your permission before we collect your information from certain third parties.
Technical service partners
We work with technical service partners that give us certain data, such as mapping IP addresses to non-precise location data (e.g., city, state).

This makes it possible for Spotify to provide the Spotify Service, content, and features.
Payment partners
If you choose to pay Spotify by invoice, we may get data from our payment partners.

This allows us to:
  • send you invoices
  • process your payment
  • give you what you’ve purchased
Advertising and marketing partners
We may get data about you from certain advertising or marketing partners.

This may include:
  • cookie id
  • mobile device id
  • email address
  • inferences (i.e., our understanding) of your interests and preferences

This allows us to deliver more relevant ads and marketing.

4. Our purpose for using your personal data

The table below sets out:

  • our purpose for processing your personal data
  • our legal justifications (each called a "legal basis"), for each purpose
  • categories of personal data which we use for each purpose (see more about these categories in Section 3 'Personal data we collect about you')

Here is a general explanation of each "legal basis" to help you understand the table:

  • Performance of a Contract: When it's necessary for Spotify (or a third party) to process your personal data to:
    • comply with obligations under a contract with you, e.g. Spotify's obligations under the Terms of Use to provide the Spotify Service to you
    • or verify information before a new contract with you begins.
  • Consent: When Spotify asks you to actively indicate your agreement to Spotify's use of your personal data for a certain purpose(s).
  • Compliance with Legal Obligations: When Spotify must process your personal data to comply with a law.
Purpose for processing your data
Legal basis that permits the purpose
Categories of personal data used for the purpose
To provide the personalized Spotify Service.

  • Consent
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
  • Payment and Purchase Data
  • Street Address Data
  • Voice Data
To understand, diagnose, troubleshoot, and fix issues with the Spotify Service.

  • Consent
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
To evaluate and develop new features, technologies, and improvements to the Spotify Service.

  • Consent
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
  • Voice Data
For marketing, promotion, and advertising purposes.

  • Consent
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
  • Contests, Surveys and Sweepstakes Data
To comply with legal obligations and law enforcement requests.
  • Compliance with legal obligations
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
  • Payment and Purchase Data
  • Street Address Data
  • Voice Data
  • Contests, Surveys and Sweepstakes Data
To:
  • fulfill contractual obligations with third parties, for example our agreements with owners of content on the Spotify Service, and
  • take appropriate action with reports of intellectual property infringement and inappropriate content.
  • Consent
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
  • Payment and Purchase Data
To establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
  • Consent
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
  • Payment and Purchase Data
  • Street Address Data
  • Contests, Surveys and Sweepstakes Data
To conduct business planning, reporting, and forecasting.
  • Consent
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
  • Payment and Purchase Data
To process your payment.
  • Consent
  • User Data
  • Payment and Purchase Data
To detect and prevent fraud, including fraudulent payments and fraudulent use of the Spotify Service.
  • Consent
  • Compliance with legal obligations
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
  • Payment and Purchase Data
  • Street Address Data
To conduct research, contests, surveys, and sweepstakes.

  • Consent
  • User Data
  • Usage Data
  • Contests, Surveys and Sweepstakes Data

5. Sharing your personal data

This section sets out the categories of recipients of the personal data collected or generated through your use of the Spotify Service.

Publicly available information

The following personal data will always be publicly available on the Spotify Service:

  • Your profile name
  • Your profile photo
  • Your public playlists
  • Who you follow on the Spotify Service
  • Who follows you on the Spotify Service (you can remove followers).

Spotify Connect

After you have created a Spotify account you may choose to connect it to a compatible device over wi-fi. You may choose to connect Spotify via wi-fi to an integrated device such as a speaker, tv, a car, or even a fridge. This is called Spotify "Connect". You may choose to "Connect" to other devices, and may share your data by doing so.

Personal data you may choose to share

We will only share the following personal data with those outlined in the table below:

  • where sharing of particular personal data is needed for the use of a Spotify Service feature, or a third party application, service or device, which you have chosen to use; or
  • if you otherwise grant us your permission to share the personal data, e.g. by selecting the appropriate setting in the Spotify Service or by giving your consent
Categories of recipients
Reason for sharing

The period of use and retention of the data by the third party
The items of personal data to be provided to the third party
Third party applications, services and devices you connect to your Spotify Account

You can review a list of the Third Party apps you have granted access to your Spotify account (if any) here.
To connect your Spotify account to third party services which may request or require that we share information about you with them, pursuant to your choice.

Examples of such third party applications, services and devices include: social media applications, speaker devices, televisions, automotive platforms, or voice assistants, which interact with the Spotify Service.

You can see and remove many third party connections under “Apps” in your account.
We will only share your data where you choose to connect your Spotify account to a third party application or device.
Your consent will always be requested before we provide your information to such third parties.

Third Parties use and retain the data until the purposes of the use have been achieved (or until cancellation/termination of subscription by the user).
You will be informed about which data the third party will receive at the point where you choose to connect your account. It may differ slightly depending on the third party application, but may include: information about what you are currently playing and your connected devices, email address, username, information about your playlists or library, information about your subscription details, artists you follow, your followers, recently played and top tracks. For more information about how these third party applications and devices will handle your data, such as whether they will transfer it overseas or for how long they will retain it, please see the privacy policy of the application or device you are choosing to connect with.
The following record label partners:

Warner Music Inc.
Warner Music Inc. and WEA International Inc. 1633 Broadway, New York, New York 10019

Warner Music International Services Ltd.
27 Wrights LaneLondon, England W8 5SW

UMG Recordings Services Inc.2220 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, California, 90404-4506, USA

Universal International Music, B.V.
Gravelandseweg 80 NL – 1217 EW Hilversum, The Netherlands

Sony Music Entertainment
25 Madison AvenueNew York, NY 10010

To receive news or promotional offers directly from artists, record labels or other partners.

You may choose to share personal data (for example, your email address) for this purpose. You’ll always have the option to change your mind and withdraw your consent at any time.
Only if you choose to share your account registration data with the record labels, we will share your data when you sign up for Spotify via transmission over the network at the time of service.
You will always have the option to change your mind and withdraw your consent at any time in your account settings. Third Parties use and retain the data until the purposes of the use have been achieved (or until cancellation/termination of subscription by the user).

Account registration data

Information we may share

See this table for details of who we share to and why.

Categories of recipients
Reason for sharing

Spotify service providers listed at this link
  • We work with service providers that work on our behalf which may need access to certain personal data in order to provide their services to us. We have listed the work performed by each service provider at this link. Please see section 7 “Transfer to other countries & entrustment” of this policy for more information about these service providers.
Other Spotify group companies
Our group companies may process your data on our behalf. We have listed the work performed by the Spotify group companies at this link. Please see section 7 “Transfer to other countries & entrustment” of this policy for more information about these service providers.

Spotify partners
Depending on how you sign up for the Spotify Service (e.g. through a bundle deal with a mobile telecoms provider), we share your Spotify username or other User Data as necessary to enable your account. We may also share personal data with that third party about your use of the Spotify Service, such as whether and to what extent you have used the offer, activated a Spotify account, or actively used the Spotify Service.

6. Data retention and deletion

Retention

We keep your personal data only as long as necessary to provide you with the Spotify Service and for Spotify's legitimate and essential business purposes, such as:

  • maintaining the performance of the Spotify Service
  • making data-driven business decisions about new features and offerings
  • complying with our legal obligations
  • resolving disputes.

Deletion

If you close or request that we close your account, we'll delete or anonymise your personal data so it no longer identifies you, unless we're required to keep something or we still need to use it for a legally justifiable reason.

Here are some examples of situations where we're legally allowed or required to keep some of your personal data (in such cases, we will transfer the relevant data to a separate database or storage place):

  • if there's an unresolved issue relating to your account, such as an outstanding credit or unresolved claim or dispute;
  • where necessary for our legitimate business interests such as fraud prevention or to maintain the security of our users;
  • for our legal, tax, audit and accounting obligations.

The process and method of destruction are as follows

(1) Destruction process

Once the purpose is achieved, user's personal data is moved to a separate database and is destroyed after storage for a certain period depending on data protection reasons under our internal policy and other applicable laws and regulations

(2) Destruction method

We delete personal data stored in the form of electronic files by using technical means which makes it impossible to restore the data. We destroy your personal data through de-identification so that the individuals cannot be identified.

7. Transfer to other countries & entrustment

When carrying out the activities described in this Policy, Spotify shares your personal data internationally with Spotify group companies, subcontractors and partners. They may process your data in South Korea and outside of it. Your personal data, therefore, may be subject to privacy laws that are different from those in your country.

In such instances Spotify shall ensure that the transfer of your personal data is carried out in accordance with applicable privacy laws and, in particular, that appropriate contractual, technical, and organizational measures are in place in order to protect your data. You can find out more about where your data is processed at this link.

8. Keeping your data safe

We're committed to protecting our users' personal data. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to help protect the security of your personal data. However, be aware that no system is ever completely secure.

We have implemented various safeguards including pseudonymisation, encryption, access, and retention policies to guard against unauthorised access and unnecessary retention of personal data in our systems.

To protect your user account, we encourage you to:

  • use a strong password that is unique to your Spotify account
  • never share your password with anyone
  • limit access to your computer and browser
  • log out once you have finished using the Spotify Service on a shared device
  • read more detail on protecting your account

You can log out of Spotify in multiple places at once by using the "Sign out everywhere" function on your account page.

If other individuals have access to your Spotify account (for example if you've given them permission to use your account on a shared device), then they can access personal data, controls and the Spotify Service available in your account.

It's your responsibility to only provide individuals with permission to use your account where you're comfortable sharing this personal data with them. Anyone else's use of your Spotify account may impact your personalised recommendations and be included in your data download.

9. Children

Note: This Policy doesn't apply to Spotify Kids, unless the Spotify Kids Privacy Policy says so. Spotify Kids is a separate Spotify application.

The Spotify Service has a minimum "Age Limit" in each country. The Spotify Service is not directed to children whose age:

  • is under the age of 14 years
  • or, makes it illegal to process their personal data
  • or, requires parental consent to process their personal data

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the applicable Age Limit. If you're under the Age Limit, please do not use the Spotify Service, and do not provide any personal data to us. Instead, we recommend using a Spotify Kids account.

If you're a parent of a child under the Age Limit and become aware that your child has provided personal data to Spotify, please contact us.

If we learn that we've collected the personal data of a child under the applicable Age Limit, we'll take reasonable steps to delete the personal data. This may require us to delete the Spotify account for that child.

When using a shared device on the main Spotify Service, you should be cautious about playing or recommending any content to individuals under 18 years old which could be inappropriate for them.

10. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may occasionally make changes to this Policy.

When we make material changes to this Policy, we'll provide you with prominent notice as appropriate under the circumstances. For example, we may display a prominent notice within the Spotify Service or send you an email or device notification.

11. How to contact us

For any questions or concerns about this Policy, contact our Data Protection Officer any one of these ways:

You can also visit our Privacy Center for more clarification of this Policy.

Spotify AB is the data controller of personal data processed under this Policy.

For users in South Korea, Spotify's Korean Domestic Representative is as follows:

Name and Representative: Bae, Kim & Lee LLC, Yangho Oh

Telephone: 02-3404-0105

Email: privacyrep.spotify@bkl.co.kr.

Address: Centropolis B, 26 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea 03161

For general customer service queries not related to personal data processing, please contact our Customer Service.

© Spotify AB