Spotify will be suspending its services in Russia

Spotify will be suspending its services in Russia

In light of the new restrictions on free speech in Russia, Spotify will discontinue access to its music streaming services.

The controversial law, which was passed in early March and came into effect over the weekend, prohibits internet service providers from providing access to websites that share “false information. Spotify is primarily an audio streaming platform. Recently, it was investing more in podcasts that include current events.

In response to Russia’s law, Western news media outlets such as CNN, ABC, and the BBC withdrew their broadcasts and operations in Russia. The sentence can be up to 15 years.

Spotify decided to “fully suspend” its Russian service after considering several options. This will happen by April 1, once the logistics are completed. 

Spotify had previously suspended premium subscriptions for Russia, but the free version of the app was still available.