Spotify is stepping up to offer parents more control over their kids’ listening experience. On Friday, the music streaming giant announced a pilot program for “managed accounts,” allowing parents on a Family plan to monitor and restrict music for children under the age of 13.
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The new feature, set to roll out in select markets like Denmark, New Zealand, and Sweden, lets parents take charge of what their kids can listen to. With managed accounts, parents can prevent children from watching explicit music videos, playing explicit tracks, or even viewing Canvas videos (those short looping visuals that accompany music playback). They can also block certain songs or artists they deem inappropriate, giving them more control without pushing their child toward Spotify’s more restrictive Kids app.
Parental Controls on the Rise
Spotify’s move mirrors recent actions taken by other tech giants like TikTok, Meta, Snap, and YouTube, all of whom have faced growing pressure from regulators to offer more parental controls. The company joins the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Max, who already offer such features, allowing parents to monitor content access on their platforms.
Tech Crunch notes that although Spotify isn’t primarily a TV or social media service, it hosts a wide range of content that may not be suitable for younger audiences. With the new managed accounts, parents can now offer their tweens more freedom while ensuring their music choices are appropriate.
Separate Accounts for Clearer Insights
This new feature is also expected to benefit parents who currently share their Spotify account with their kids. By switching to a Family plan, parents can create separate accounts for each child, ensuring the music recommendations remain distinct. This could help keep Spotify’s end-of-year Wrapped results more accurate, as individual tastes won’t get mixed up between parent and child.
Parents who want to enable the feature can navigate to the Accounts page in their Spotify app and select “Add a listener aged under 13.” From there, they can set up the account with specific controls based on their preferences. Spotify’s introduction of parent-managed accounts is another step toward offering a safer and more controlled listening environment for younger audiences, giving parents peace of mind while their kids enjoy music.
