Spotify to Suspend All Services in Russia Citing the Criminalization of ‘Certain Types of News’

Spotify Lionel Bonaventure/Getty Images

Spotify will be suspending all of their services in Russia beginning in April.

The streaming platform has cited Russia’s new ‘fake news’ law as the reason behind the decision. The new legislation could bring major consequences to those who publish ‘fake news’ regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Violators could face up to 15 years in prison.

A statement released by the company says, “Spotify has continued to believe that it’s critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information from the region.”

“Unfortunately, recently enacted legislation further restricting access to information, eliminating free expression, and criminalizing certain types of news puts the safety of Spotify’s employees and the possibility of even our listeners at risk.”

At the beginning of March, Spotify closed their offices in Russia indefinitely citing safety for employees in the region.

Spotify follows a long list of other companies who have suspended operations in the region including Netflix, McDonalds and Starbucks.