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Spotify

Spotify apologizes after privacy policy update

Brett Molina
USA TODAY

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek apologized Friday for an updated privacy policy that "caused a lot of confusion" and sparked fears over what content the streaming music service can access on a user's device.

Daniel Ek is founder of Spotify, one of the leading freemium model streaming music services in the world, which would face competition from Apple if the Cupertino company ventures into the streaming space.

The privacy policy, which took effect on August 19, includes several changes that have angered Spotify users. Under a section called "Information Stored on Your Mobile Device," Spotify says "with your permission, we may collect information stored on your mobile device, such as contacts, photos, or media files."

The policy also says Spotify may also collect information on a user's location based on Bluetooth or GPS.

The changes generated outrage on Twitter, with some questioning why a streaming music service needs access to your photos or location. Several have said they will cancel subscriptions or stop using Spotify altogether.

The reactions prompted a blog post from Ek, who says the company should have "done a better job" detailing the changes in its privacy policy.

"If you don’t want to share this kind of information, you don’t have to," says Ek. "We will ask for your express permission before accessing any of this data – and we will only use it for specific purposes that will allow you to customize your Spotify experience."

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.

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