Spotify grapples with artist backlash over COVID-19 misinformation on platform

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Washington, Oregon and California will drop masking requirements for schools and most public places on March 12, the states jointly announced on Monday.The three states came to the decision after discussions over the weekend between the states and public health leaders."With declining case rates and hospitalizations across the West, California, Oregon and Washington are moving together to update their masking guidance," the governors said in a statement.The new guidance will make face coverings a recommendation rather than a requirement at most indoor places in California starting Tuesday and at schools on March 12, regardless of vaccination status. In Washington and Oregon, all the requirements will lift on March 12.Public Health - Seattle & King County said it would end its local indoor mask order at the same time as Washington state.Federal mask requirements will still apply in high-risk indoor settings such as public transportation, airports and taxis.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia will be keeping their mask requirements in schools and indoor public spaces ‘for the time being’ as officials say they’ll be sticking to their new tiered response levels.Monday afternoon, city officials announced that Philadelphia would remain in the ‘Mask Precautions Only’ response level. Under that response level, there is no vaccine requirement for places that serve food or drink, but masks are required indoors.City officials say they will be sticking with their newly unveiled response levels, rather than following the CDC’s latest guidelines.The CDC’s guidance outlines a new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 is easing its grip, with less of a focus on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.MORE CORONAVIRUS HEADLINESThe new system greatly changes the look of the CDC’s risk map and puts more than 70% of the U.S.

Nearly 90% of adult COVID-19 patients who were eligible for—but didn't receive—extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during the height of the pandemic died in the hospital owing to a lack of resources, even though they were young and had few underlying health issues, according to a natural experiment published late last week in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

GENEVA (AP) - Russian teams were suspended Monday from all international soccer, including qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup, as Moscow was pushed toward pariah status in sports after its invasion of Ukraine.World soccer body FIFA and European authority UEFA banned Russian national and clubs teams from their competitions "until further notice." Russia’s men’s national team had been scheduled to play in World Cup qualifying playoffs in just three weeks’ time."Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine," FIFA and UEFA said in a joint statement.RELATED: Russia-Ukraine updates: What to know as Ukrainian troops resist advance on key citiesThe high-level punishment involving sports and politics — not seen for decades — came after the International Olympic Committee pushed dozens of sports governing bodies to exclude Russian athletes and officials from international events. The IOC said this was needed to "protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants."Denying Russia a place on the international stage should deliver a financial and psychological blow to the country, along with tarnishing its image as an elite sports powerhouse.FIFA’s move excluded Russia from the World Cup ahead of qualifying playoff on March 24.

PHILADELPHIA - A man has died after he was found shot multiple times in a vehicle in the Strawberry Mansion section of the city. The shooting happened shortly after 12:30 p.m. at 30th and Fontain Streets, according to authorities. Police say the 26-year-old man suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, back, and left leg.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Russian invasion of Ukraine is spurring Pennsylvania lawmakers to draft legislation to require the state Treasury Department and the state's three public pension funds to divest holdings connected to Russia.Meanwhile, the state Treasury Department said it began divesting its holdings in all "Russian-based companies" last week. It described the holdings as "minimal" and expected to finish the process by Monday's end.RELATED: Russia-Ukraine updates: What to know as Ukrainian troops resist advance on key citiesDivestiture legislation was being drafted Monday in the House by Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre, and in the Senate by state Sen.

LITTLE CREEK, Del. - Fire officials say a third person has died more than two weeks after a fire at a home in Little Creek. The Office of the State Fire Marshal says when firefighters arrived at the two-story house on Main Street just before noon on Feb. 6, several people were trapped inside.

COVID-19.Although hospitalizations have been in decline over the last few weeks, the number of people in hospital has jumped to 89 — up from 72, since the last report on Friday.They include 47 hospitalized due to COVID-19 and another 42 who were admitted for another reason but tested positive for the virus.Three people are in ICU and two people on a ventilator. Hospitals are now at 90 per cent capacity while ICU beds are at 72 per cent capacity.

Matt Hancock has said he broke coronavirus guidelines - which he created - because he “fell in love” with his aide.

Joe Rogan is speaking out about all the controversies he’s recently been making headlines for…

criticism against Spotify over concerns of Joe Rogan’s podcast promoting skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccines, said this week that the company’s employees should quit their jobs before the place "eats up your soul."The singer-songwriter posted a statement on his website on Monday that took aim at the audio streaming platform’s CEO, Daniel Ek, saying he served as the workers’ "big problem — not Joe Rogan.""Ek pulls the strings. Get out of that place before it eats up your soul," Young’s message read in part.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appears to be reconsidering some of his personal support for Joe Rogan after a video was shared showing the podcast host using racial slurs repeatedly during his broadcasts.

FILE - The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Spotify displayed on a phone screen and headphones are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on Feb. 3, 2022.

DANCING On Ice star Brendan Cole has sparked controversy for ITV after liking a post from an online account – that claims Covid is a conspiracy. Former Strictly dancer Brendan, 45, backed a video on an Instagram account called Nuremberg 2.0, which he follows.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 10: Joe Rogan introduces fighters during the UFC 269 ceremonial weigh-in at MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 10, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) NEW YORK - Spotify’s popular U.S.

In a lengthy comment posted to his Instagram page, the popular podcaster and former stand up comic and UFC colour commentator addressed the recent spate of artists pulling their music from Spotify over concerns regarding his podcast spreading misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Rogan proposed that “controversial” episodes of his podcast would now feature a warning before each episode, and he promised to be more “balanced” in whom he pursued as far as guests, allowing those from the mainstream medical community to more immediately address other guests who propagate non-mainstream views.

wrote in a “Déjà Vu” statement.“While we always value alternate points of view, knowingly spreading disinformation during this global pandemic has deadly consequences. Until real action is taken to show that a concern for humanity must be balanced with commerce, we don’t want our music—or the music we made together—to be on the same platform.”Young started the trend when he pulled his solo catalog from the streaming service last week in protest of “fake information about vaccines” being spread on the popular “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Joni Michell, a contemporary of the 60s supergroup, followed suit on the heels of Young’s announcement and Nash joined the chorus of musicians requesting to flee the service on Tuesday, calling on Spotify to be “responsible and accountable” for its content.The band’s request applies to music the band released both with and without sometimes-member Young, as well as solo releases from Crosby and Stills, according to a press release.Crosby tweeted last month that removing his catalog might be difficult because he sold his recorded music and publishing rights. Music from CSNY, CSN and Crosby, Nash and Stills was still on Spotify as of Thursday night.Rogan, who has a $100 million deal with the streaming service, addressed accusations on Sunday that his show promoted unsanctioned COVID-19 treatments and claimed that vaccinations were harmful to some.“I’m not trying to promote misinformation.

Many of the top musicians in the industry are making their voices heard – by taking their voices away.

Failure are the latest act to announce they’re pulling their music from Spotify following the ongoing COVID controversy involving Joe Rogan.Last month hundreds of scientists and medical professionals asked Spotify to address COVID misinformation on its platform, sparked by comments made on The Joe Rogan Experience.More than 270 members of the science and medical community signed the open letter, which called Rogan’s actions “not only objectionable and offensive but also medically and culturally dangerous”.Soon after, Neil Young demanded that his music be pulled from Spotify, asserting in a since-deleted open letter to his management that content like Rogan’s podcast “spread[s] false information about vaccines”.The streaming platform obliged, later confirming that Young’s content would indeed be removed from the platform.Other musicians and entertainers have since followed suit in removing their music and content from the platform including Janis Joplin, Graham Nash and Stewart Lee.Now, in a lengthy Facebook statement, cult alternative rockers Failure have announced that they too are planning to remove their music from Spotify in protest of the service platforming misinformation about the coronavirus vaccine as well as its overall business model.“Failure have wrestled with the question of Spotify and whether to have our newest music, which we control, on the platform,” the band began their statement.

COVID vaccines.The actor hit out at the podcaster in light of COVID misinformation spreading on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, which Rogan works on in an exclusive deal with Spotify.More than 270 members of the science and medical community signed an open letter, which called Rogan’s actions “not only objectionable and offensive but also medically and culturally dangerous”.“COVID is not an opinion-based situation and Mr Rogan thinking that his opinion or disclaimer for the lives he personally has affected and caused losses of – it’s not an opinion,” Stone said to TMZ.“Mr Rogan is risking people’s lives with his idiocy and his professing that his thoughts about COVID are opinions.“Infectious diseases are science, and they are fact-based situations, so the pretence that these are opinions is dangerous.“He should put a disclaimer that he’s an asshole and that his behaviour is dangerous and affecting people’s lives and deaths.”Rogan publicly responded to the situation earlier this week (January 31), as many artists have started removing their music from Spotify in protest.In a video clip posted to Instagram, Rogan addressed “some of the controversy that’s been going on over the past few days”.He told fans: “I don’t always get it right. I will do my best to try to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people perspectives so we can maybe find a better point of view.”Admitting that it is a “strange responsibility to have this many views and listeners,” he promised “to do my best in the future to balance things out”.

Sharon Stone was critical of Joe Rogan amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the spread of COVID-19 misinformation, and Spotify's decision to add a warning to all podcasts on its platform discussing the ongoing virus.Stone, 63, spoke Tuesday in Beverly Hills, California with TMZ, where she was asked about the ongoing developments over Rogan and his podcast, which drew attention last month after rock icon Neil Young pulled his music from the platform in protest of Rogan's content in regards to the pandemic.Rogan, 54, garnered controversy after a December 31 podcast of The Joe Rogan Experience in which he chat with Dr. Robert Malone, an anti-vaccine proponent who was previously banned from Twitter over the spread of COVID misinformation.

Spotify has been accused of “hiding behind the language of internet platforms” to avoid taking responsibility for its content amid ongoing controversy over anti-vax material on comedian Joe Rogan’s podcast. Musician Neil Young pulled his back catalogue from the streaming site last week to protest sharing a platform with The Joe Rogan Experience, which he accused of spreading false information about vaccines.

Joe Rogan introduces fighters during the UFC 269 ceremonial weigh-in at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Dec. 10, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) Neil Young vs Joe Rogan seems like the strangest of cultural clashes.Yet the 76-year-old rock star's protest over coronavirus-related content on Rogan's popular Spotify podcast has ignited a hot debate over misinformation and free speech, bruising a streaming service that has become the central way that millions of people around the world experience music."Rockin' in the Free World"? Not on Spotify.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have been "expressing concerns" to Spotify about Covid-19 misinformation amidst the Joe Rogan controversy.

FILE - Comedian Joe Rogan performs during his appearance at The Ice House Comedy Club on April 17, 2019, in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Michael S.

Joe Rogan is addressing the controversy surrounding his Spotify podcast.

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company blog post published Sunday by CEO Daniel Elk and comes after Young, Joni Mitchell and Nils Lofgren parted ways with Spotify in protest of podcaster Joe Rogan, who they’ve accused of spreading fake information about COVID vaccines.The content advisories will be rolled out in the coming days and will direct users to a COVID-19 information hub.The hub will include “easy access to data-driven facts, up-to-date information as shared by scientists, physicians, academics and public health authorities around the world, as well as links to trusted sources,” Elk wrote.Elk also announced that Spotify has taken the step to publish its “long-standing” platform rules in an effort to boost transparency.

Nils Lofgren is the latest artist to pull his music from Spotify to boycott COVID-19 misinformation on the platform.

Supreme Court rejected earlier this month the Biden administration’s plan to require vaccines or regular COVID testing at companies with more than 100 workers."T-Mobile’s badge-controlled offices continue to be accessible only to those who are vaccinated against COVID-19 and we have shared with employees that we are requiring office workers ... to be fully vaccinated by April 2," the company said in a statement issued to FOX Television Stations. The company said the requirement has limited exceptions for certain roles, locations and legally mandated accommodations and exemptions."We understand that this is a deeply personal decision for some employees but we believe that taking this step will put us in the best position to protect our T-Mobile community," the statement continued. T-mobile is among a handful of high-profile corporations keeping the vaccine mandate. Headquarters of T-MOBILE in Bonn, Germany.

Spotify is updating its protocols.

07 December 2021, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Villingen-Schwenningen: The application app Spotify can be seen on the display of an iPhone SE. Photo: Silas Stein/dpa (Photo by Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images) Spotify continues to face the mounting backlash of Joe Rogan’s controversial podcast, which many listeners accuse of spreading COVID-19 misinformation.Spotify airs the popular podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience," where last month the comedian interviewed Dr.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have some thoughts about the ongoing controversy with Spotify.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are speaking out to Spotify.

Kid Rock is hitting the road, but he’s being selective about exactly where he’s going.Just days after announcing his upcoming “Bad Reputation” tour, the artist took to his official Facebook account this week to reveal he won’t be performing at venues that require COVID-19 masks or vaccination.“There’s been a lot of talk about vaccine mandates and venues. People saying, ‘I’m not going to that venue because of the vaccine mandate’ and this, that and the other.

Kid Rock is hitting the road, but he's being selective about exactly where he's going. Just days after announcing his upcoming "Bad Reputation" tour, the artist took to his official Facebook account this week to reveal he won't be performing at venues that require COVID-19 masks or vaccination. "There’s been a lot of talk about vaccine mandates and venues.

UFC babe Julianna Pena claimed that Covid is a 'money grab' and a plot to 'kill us' during an incredible interview on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast. Pena, otherwise known as the Venezuelan Vixen, is the current UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion and ranked No.4 in the UFC's women's pound for pound rankings.The 32-year-old beauty packs a punch in the octagon, and she didn't pull any punches with her views on Covid while talking to Joe Rogan either.

Joni Mitchell says she stands with Neil Young and has decided to remove all her music from streaming giant Spotify.Earlier this week, Young pulled his music from Spotify after giving the company an ultimatum over concerns about podcaster Joe Rogan spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine on his show “The Joe Rogan Experience.”In a statement on her website Friday, Mitchell says she is taking action because “irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives.”Mitchell says she also stands with the scientific community on the issue. Spotify taking down Neil Young’s music after his Joe Rogan ultimatum On her website, she includes a letter signed by a coalition of scientists, medical professionals, and professors that criticizes Spotify for featuring Rogan podcasts that they say include misinformation about the pandemic, including discouraging vaccinations in young people and children.Spotify, which has a multi-year distribution agreement with Rogan, granted Young’s request on Wednesday and within hours began taking down his albums.“I Stand With Neil Young!” Mitchell says in the statement on her website.“I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” reads the statement.

Neil Young performs in concert during Farm Aid 34 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre on September 21, 2019 in East Troy, Wisconsin. (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)Spotify is currently in the process of removing all of Neil Young’s music from its platform after the rock singer gave the company an ultimatum to "deal with the vaccine misinformation coming from Joe Rogan’s podcast," or lose his music. Rolling Stone Magazine and The Hollywood Reporter reported on Wednesday that Spotify was working to remove Young’s entire catalog of music from its platform following a letter published and then taken down by the Canadian folk and rock legend.Rolling Stone, which first reported on Young’s letter Monday, reported that the post has since been deleted.

Joe Rogan, saying there is only room for one of them on streaming platform Spotify.Rogan's podcast is the most popular on the service, with the two parties signing a deal in 2020 believed to be worth around £75million. The deal gave the streaming giant exclusive rights to his massive show, which the Wall Street Journal claims gets around 11 million listeners each episode.

Neil Young’s music is being removed from Spotify’s streaming service after the singer-songwriter objected to his songs playing on the same platform that offers Joe Rogan’s podcast, the company and the musician said on Wednesday.

Legendary Canadian rocker Neil Young penned an open letter on Monday, requesting that his music be removed from Spotify as long as host Joe Rogan has his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, on the streaming service.

Neil Young attends a press conference for Farm Aid 34 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre on Sept. 21, 2019, in East Troy, Wisconsin.

Neil Young is taking a stance.

Neil Young, just posted a message for Spotify: he’s out if the misinformation continues to spread! Per Pitchfork, the musician released a statement on his website on Jan. 24 to his manager, Frank Gironda, and Warner Bros. co-chairman and Chief Operating Officer Tom Corson demanding they remove his music from the streaming platform due to its “spreading fake information about the vaccines — potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread to them.”