On Sunday, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek penned a lengthy statement in response to Left-wing activists attempting to cancel Joe Rogan for previous use of the N-word as well as comments regarding COVID-19 and transgenderism. Ek condemned Rogan’s words and attempted to make amends with offended Spotify employees, but stopped short of kicking Rogan off the entertainment platform as many have called to happen. While some praised the decision as proof Spotify was standing by Rogan, world-famous professor Jordan Peterson, Ph.D., saw Ek’s statement as essentially capitulation to an unhinged mob.
For his part, Rogan published a video that was part apology and part defense of his podcast. The popular host did say regarding the N-word, that “It’s not my word to use. I am well aware of that now, but for years I used it in that manner. I never used it to be racist because I’m not racist.”
Following that, as The Daily Wire covered, Ek released a statement that read in part:
While I strongly condemn what Joe has said and I agree with his decision to remove past episodes from our platform, I realize some will want more. And I want to make one point very clear – I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer. We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but canceling voices is a slippery slope. Looking at the issue more broadly, it’s critical thinking and open debate that powers real and necessary progress.
Ek also pledged to give $100 million in support of “marginalized” creators or artists who use Spotify.
If we believe in having an open platform as a core value of the company, then we must also believe in elevating all types of creators, including those from underrepresented communities and a diversity of backgrounds. We’ve been doing a great deal of work in this area already but I think we can do even more. So I am committing to an incremental investment of $100 million for the licensing, development, and marketing of music (artists and songwriters) and audio content from historically marginalized groups. This will dramatically increase our efforts in these areas.
In response, Peterson tweeted, “Spotify cravenly crawls. This is seriously not good. Emboldening the calculating censors @Spotify @joerogan how can you not die of embarrassment for this Daniel Ek.”
Spotify cravenly crawls. This is seriously not good. Emboldening the calculating censors @Spotify @joerogan how can you not die of embarrassment for this Daniel Ek https://t.co/L3Kw1uNDto
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) February 7, 2022
He also added, “If @spotify wants to become the global audio voice they must not suppress that voice. Now all those who would have been their supporters in this free speech battle have been disappointed.”
If @spotify wants to become the global audio voice they must not suppress that voice. Now all those who would have been their supporters in this free speech battle have been disappointed. https://t.co/azRoyylnob
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) February 7, 2022
The calls to remove Rogan are still ongoing, despite Ek’s comments and pledge to donate 1/10th of a billion dollars to support “marginalized” creators. Spotify has also removed more than 100 episodes of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” but it seems the reasons behind the decisions to delete many of those episodes go beyond the use of racial slurs or COVID-19 information.
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Source: Dailywire
