Spotify is aiming to boost the trust of podcast listeners — by extending its verification program to podcasts and affirming that using AI to “impersonate” another podcaster is not allowed.
According to the company, Spotify’s policies have always prohibited unauthorized impersonation. Now it is reaffirming the policy in the context of AI to “help ensure creators remain in control of their identity and listeners can engage with content they know is real,” a company rep said. Spotify already currently offers creators ways to report unauthorized use of their voice or identity.
“Spotify will remove podcast shows and content that impersonate another creator or host’s likeness without permission, whether that’s using AI voice cloning or any other method,” the company said in a blog post Tuesday.
In addition, the company is introducing Verified by Spotify badges for podcast shows to help authenticate creator identity and likeness. It’s an extension of the Verified by Spotify program it recently launched for music.
The new badge will start appearing on select shows Tuesday (May 19), and they will continue to roll out over the coming months. The badge appears as “Verified by Spotify” alongside a light green checkmark icon. It identifies a show as the official presence of a creator, publisher or brand, and appears on show pages and in search, Spotify said.
