Spotify

What is Spotify?

Spotify is one of the world’s largest music streaming services, but it is much more than music. The app now includes video podcasts, music videos, messaging, group chats, an AI DJ and Canvas (short looping videos that play on tracks).

Age rating: 13+ (age is self-declared at signup). Children under 13 can use Spotify through a managed account linked to a Premium Family plan. Spotify Kids (a separate app with curated content) is still available but is being replaced by managed accounts.

Why do kids like it?

• Music and identity. Personal playlists and mixes make the music feel like “theirs”. Music is closely tied to who teenagers are.
• Podcasts about everything. True crime, comedy, celebrity gossip, gaming. Podcasts are a major part of how teenagers consume content.
• Popular creators are here too. Many well-known creators make video podcasts on Spotify. Children can follow the same creators they know from other platforms.
• The algorithm knows them. Discover Weekly, Daily Mixes and the AI DJ feel personal. The app finds new content they actually like.
• Social features. Following friends, collaborative playlists, Blend and Jam. The annual Wrapped statistics are a social media event.
• Free and easy. The ad-supported version gives access to all music and all podcasts.

What are the real risks?

• Unfiltered podcasts. Anyone can publish a podcast on Spotify. The explicit content filter depends on creators tagging their own work, and it does not reliably cover podcasts or independent music.
• Chat and social features. Spotify has direct messages, group chats, collaborative playlists, Blend and Jam. Messaging is limited to users over 16, but younger teenagers can still interact through shared playlists and listening sessions.
• Personalised recommendations. Spotify learns listening habits and suggests similar content. A teenager who explores a topic through music or podcasts will see more of it in their feed, which can reinforce narrow listening patterns.
• Increasingly visual. Music videos, video podcasts and Canvas (short looping videos on tracks, enabled by default) make Spotify more visual than parents may expect, increasing the chance of exposure to age-inappropriate imagery.
• Limited parental controls for teenagers. Managed accounts (under 13) offer PIN-protected restrictions, but for teenagers aged 13–17 controls are minimal and settings are not PIN-protected.

Settings to check

1. Explicit content filter: Settings → Content Preferences → turn on “Restrict explicit content”. The filter does not reliably cover podcasts.
2. Private session: Settings → Social → turn on “Private Session” to hide listening activity from friends.
3. Friend activity: Settings → Social → review settings for “Listening Activity” and consider turning off visibility.
4. Managed account (under 13): Create a managed account through Premium Family. This provides PIN-protected content restrictions and blocks social features. Availability varies by country.
5. Canvas: Settings → Content Preferences → turn off “Canvas” to disable the looping video clips that play on tracks.

How to talk about it

“What are you listening to these days? Can you play something for me?”

“Do you listen to any podcasts? What kind?”

“Spotify has messaging and shared playlists now. Have you tried any of those features?”

“Do you have your own Spotify account, or do you use the one linked to the family?”

“Have you ever come across something on Spotify that surprised you or made you uncomfortable?”

Last reviewed: April 2026