A prominent anti-exploitation watchdog is sounding the alarm over Spotify’s new direct messaging feature, warning that it could open the door for increased online grooming and exploitation of minors. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) is urging Spotify to halt the rollout of its Messages tool, which allows users aged 16 and up to privately share content like music and podcasts.
NCOSE Executive Director Haley McNamara criticized the platform’s track record on child protection, pointing out that Spotify took nearly a decade to implement basic parental controls. “There have already been cases of children being groomed and abused on Spotify,” she warned, adding that allowing teenagers into a DM environment only heightens the risk.
Though Spotify claims it has implemented safeguards, including user blocking, message filters, and limited chat permissions, McNamara called these measures are inadequate. She also challenged Spotify’s vague and limited age verification efforts, arguing that truly robust protections would require raising the age minimum to 18 and implementing reliable age checks.
