Spotify’s Chief Content Officer Dawn Ostroff reflected on the company’s experience with the Joe Rogan controversy, saying it was a “real learning experience.”
During the Interactive Advertising Bureau annual conference in New York Wednesday, Ostroff said, “We do feel that we have a responsibility to support creator expression, but also balance that creator expression with safety for our users and for our advertisers.”
Ostroff acknowledged “the dilemma of moderation versus censorship” remains a big challenge for technology companies and called on advertisers to help the company improve, as Fox News reported.
“We really want to be able to be good partners,” Ostroff said.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek penned a letter to the company’s employees apologizing for “the way The Joe Rogan Experience controversy continues to impact each of you,” as IJR reported.
Still, Ek said he does not believe silencing Rogan “is the answer.”
Rumble expressed its support for Rogan, offering him a deal to leave Spotify and come join the platform.
“We stand with you, your guests, and your legion of fans in desire for real conversation. So we’d like to offer you 100 million reasons to make the world a better place,” Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski said in a letter.
He added, “How about you bring all your shows to Rumble, both old and new, with no censorship, for 100 million bucks over four years?”
Additionally, Pavlovski wrote, “This is our chance to save the world. And yes, this is totally legit.”
Rogan addressed the controversy surrounding his comments on COVID-19 vaccines in his return to stand-up comedy.
“I talk s**t for a living — that’s why this is so baffling to me,” Rogan said.
He continued, “If you’re taking vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault? What dumb s**t were you about to do when my stupid idea sounded better? ‘You know that dude who made people people eat animal dicks on TV? How does he feel about medicine?’ If you want my advice, don’t take my advice.”
