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When this report came out it was the straw that broke the camel's back for me in terms of my data privacy. Most people seem to have found Wrapped 2020 entertain

When this report came out it was the straw that broke the camel's back for me in terms of my data privacy. Most people seem to have found Wrapped 2020 entertaining but I found it creepy. I miss being able to do something simple like listen to music or watch a movie without all my actions being recorded and saved. So I'm back to buying physical media and DRM free downloads. I'm convinced that it is now important to hold on to older appliances that work without internet access or data collection this plus right to repair gives me hope for the future.

88 6y ago
What’s your concern, that your listening history will be linked to your personal identity and somehow used against you? If that’s the case, why not just sign up using a single-use email address, pay via gift cards purchased with cash, and if you’re really concerned, use a VPN?
- avh02 6y ago
  Because going through all that just to listen to music is bonkers
  - marliechiller 6y ago
    but also far less effort and money than buying physical copies of music
    - avh02 6y ago
      Oh I totally agree, for me this is a matter of an absolutely backwards industry. Very often I WANT to give my money but can't find where to buy a DRM-free track, preferably in flac. And registering for 8 different stores is not a valid solution.
- spotyoufi462881 6y ago
  This is what relentless back-and-forth made someone realise how much Spotify loves him. https://twitter.com/steipete/status/1025024813889478656 https://twitter.com/steipete/status/1025024813889478656
  - gcbirzan 6y ago
    Ironically, I've been trying to get that data and cannot. I got a 400KiB zip file with like 10 JSONs inside, only relevant ones being listening history (ts and ms played per song). Support suggested there might be more data, they even re-did the export, but nothing.
  - 88 6y ago
    Why create a throwaway account just to post this? I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone that Spotify collects telemetry data on its users. The main reason myself (and many others) use Spotify is because they use this data to recommend new music that I will like.
    - spotyoufi462881 6y ago
      Creating throwaways to post is a feature of HN. I didn't abuse it. I don't have a HN account. It's not meant as slander. It's just to show others 'here is something that's true that you might not have thought of or have thought of but haven't thought of it in all it's 250 MB glory. Decide for yourself'. Folks who wanna try something different might like 'Radio Paradise'. It's human curated music. Have wide platforms support [1] but also regular stream URLs [2] [1] https://radioparadise.com/listen/options https://radioparadise.com/listen/options [2] https://radioparadise.com/listen/stream-links https://radioparadise.com/listen/stream-links
- Nextgrid 6y ago
  Because your music taste is essentially a unique fingerprint that could be used to track you in the future even across accounts or platforms, and the only way to escape would be to literally give up on all your favorite songs and listen to something totally unrelated.
  - 88 6y ago
    So what? Your voice is a unique fingerprint. Your writing style is a unique fingerprint. Your gait is a unique fingerprint. Who you are friends with is a unique fingerprint. Why should I be worried about a company knowing what music I listen to?
superbcarrot 6y ago
I haven't used Spotify in over a year so I don't know about this. What in Wrapped 2020 was so different from previous years that made it creepy for you?
josteink 6y ago
> I'm convinced that it is now important to hold on to older appliances that work without internet access or data collection Or run modern, up to date FOSS equivalents on machines you control. I’ve migrated more and more services like that and I’m slowly but surely building my own “cloud”.
- npteljes 6y ago
  I understand why people don't constantly think about their digital footprint, but it's not that different from when they order the same thing at a stall for a month, and the clerk begins to ask "Do you want your usual?".
  - spotyoufi462881 6y ago
    But the digital footprint is infinitely copyable, permanent etc
diggan 6y ago
Seems strange that "Wrapped 2020" was the straw for you. Ever since launch, the top reasons for starting to use Spotify has been availability (across devices) and the provided radio/discover playlists that automatically finds music based on your previous history, this has always been a core proposition of Spotify, and not something that happened now. Then it's not always good, right or even close sometimes, but it's not like it's a hidden feature.
- Nullabillity 6y ago
  Discover Weekly (the first algorithmic playlist) launched in 2015, Spotify itself launched in 2008. It did have radio from the start, but that was (at least sold as) a fairly generic genre-and-decade-based affair, rather than something personalized.
  - 88 6y ago
    Spotify acquired the vast majority of their current users since 2015.
  - diggan 6y ago
    I do know the history of Spotify, became a user first in 2009 (back when it was invite only) as my family got a subscription together with our broadband connection with Bredbandsbolaget in Sweden. The radio was always a feature they advertised in order to find similar music to the one you like, although you're correct that Discover Weekly et al wasn't available until later. I guess you could argue that because the radio was initially just for artist pages then playlists, it was kind of manual and not automatic like todays playlists that they generate. Although it is strange to leave Spotify in 2020 citing concerns about Spotify using your data, as it has been going on from at least 2015, possibly earlier.
- fooblat 6y ago
  I joined spotify in 2011 and the core offer was simply access to all music across your devices. However, that's not really relevant. 2020 was the year I really started to question why I was taking such care with my data in some ways but not others. The Wrapped 2020 was a bright reminder to me that if I want to take my privacy seriously I need to look at everything in my life that collects data. Simple as that. I don't think spotify is wrong or evil to collect the data. I actually think it is a great product. I have just decided that I want to leave as little data around about my daily activities as possible. As it happens I don't use the Discovery features very much and it turns out there are still some enjoyable FM stations where I live. When I want background music I turn on the radio. When I want something more specific I play an album or playlist from my collection.

88 6y ago

What’s your concern, that your listening history will be linked to your personal identity and somehow used against you? If that’s the case, why not just sign up using a single-use email address, pay via gift cards purchased with cash, and if you’re really concerned, use a VPN?

avh02 6y ago
Because going through all that just to listen to music is bonkers
- marliechiller 6y ago
  but also far less effort and money than buying physical copies of music
  - avh02 6y ago
    Oh I totally agree, for me this is a matter of an absolutely backwards industry. Very often I WANT to give my money but can't find where to buy a DRM-free track, preferably in flac. And registering for 8 different stores is not a valid solution.
spotyoufi462881 6y ago
This is what relentless back-and-forth made someone realise how much Spotify loves him. https://twitter.com/steipete/status/1025024813889478656 https://twitter.com/steipete/status/1025024813889478656
- gcbirzan 6y ago
  Ironically, I've been trying to get that data and cannot. I got a 400KiB zip file with like 10 JSONs inside, only relevant ones being listening history (ts and ms played per song). Support suggested there might be more data, they even re-did the export, but nothing.
- 88 6y ago
  Why create a throwaway account just to post this? I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone that Spotify collects telemetry data on its users. The main reason myself (and many others) use Spotify is because they use this data to recommend new music that I will like.
  - spotyoufi462881 6y ago
    Creating throwaways to post is a feature of HN. I didn't abuse it. I don't have a HN account. It's not meant as slander. It's just to show others 'here is something that's true that you might not have thought of or have thought of but haven't thought of it in all it's 250 MB glory. Decide for yourself'. Folks who wanna try something different might like 'Radio Paradise'. It's human curated music. Have wide platforms support [1] but also regular stream URLs [2] [1] https://radioparadise.com/listen/options https://radioparadise.com/listen/options [2] https://radioparadise.com/listen/stream-links https://radioparadise.com/listen/stream-links
Nextgrid 6y ago
Because your music taste is essentially a unique fingerprint that could be used to track you in the future even across accounts or platforms, and the only way to escape would be to literally give up on all your favorite songs and listen to something totally unrelated.
- 88 6y ago
  So what? Your voice is a unique fingerprint. Your writing style is a unique fingerprint. Your gait is a unique fingerprint. Who you are friends with is a unique fingerprint. Why should I be worried about a company knowing what music I listen to?

superbcarrot 6y ago

I haven't used Spotify in over a year so I don't know about this. What in Wrapped 2020 was so different from previous years that made it creepy for you?

josteink 6y ago

> I'm convinced that it is now important to hold on to older appliances that work without internet access or data collection Or run modern, up to date FOSS equivalents on machines you control. I’ve migrated more and more services like that and I’m slowly but surely building my own “cloud”.

npteljes 6y ago
I understand why people don't constantly think about their digital footprint, but it's not that different from when they order the same thing at a stall for a month, and the clerk begins to ask "Do you want your usual?".
- spotyoufi462881 6y ago
  But the digital footprint is infinitely copyable, permanent etc

diggan 6y ago

Seems strange that "Wrapped 2020" was the straw for you. Ever since launch, the top reasons for starting to use Spotify has been availability (across devices) and the provided radio/discover playlists that automatically finds music based on your previous history, this has always been a core proposition of Spotify, and not something that happened now. Then it's not always good, right or even close sometimes, but it's not like it's a hidden feature.

Nullabillity 6y ago
Discover Weekly (the first algorithmic playlist) launched in 2015, Spotify itself launched in 2008. It did have radio from the start, but that was (at least sold as) a fairly generic genre-and-decade-based affair, rather than something personalized.
- 88 6y ago
  Spotify acquired the vast majority of their current users since 2015.
- diggan 6y ago
  I do know the history of Spotify, became a user first in 2009 (back when it was invite only) as my family got a subscription together with our broadband connection with Bredbandsbolaget in Sweden. The radio was always a feature they advertised in order to find similar music to the one you like, although you're correct that Discover Weekly et al wasn't available until later. I guess you could argue that because the radio was initially just for artist pages then playlists, it was kind of manual and not automatic like todays playlists that they generate. Although it is strange to leave Spotify in 2020 citing concerns about Spotify using your data, as it has been going on from at least 2015, possibly earlier.
fooblat 6y ago
I joined spotify in 2011 and the core offer was simply access to all music across your devices. However, that's not really relevant. 2020 was the year I really started to question why I was taking such care with my data in some ways but not others. The Wrapped 2020 was a bright reminder to me that if I want to take my privacy seriously I need to look at everything in my life that collects data. Simple as that. I don't think spotify is wrong or evil to collect the data. I actually think it is a great product. I have just decided that I want to leave as little data around about my daily activities as possible. As it happens I don't use the Discovery features very much and it turns out there are still some enjoyable FM stations where I live. When I want background music I turn on the radio. When I want something more specific I play an album or playlist from my collection.