Spotify: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Gets Brutally Honest on COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki commented on Spotify's move to address the uproar on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation blamed on Joe Rogan's podcast.
During a regular press briefing, Psaki first lauded the streaming platform for addressing the vaccine misinformation issue on their company, saying that they think what Spotify did was a "good step," New York Post reported.
However, Psaki underscored that the music platform could have done more in tackling the issue.
"It's a positive step, but there's more that can be done," Psaki shared, via Yahoo.
The White House press secretary then explained that it is up to the companies to be "responsible and be vigilant to ensure the American people have accurate information about something as significant as COVID-19." Psaki then emphasized that Spotify is among the companies that should be accountable for supplying factual information to their stakeholders.
Psaki urged other companies and platforms to call out "mis and disinformation while uplifting accurate information."
The White House press secretary highlighted that communicating about the COVID-19 vaccines should start on facts, such as the statistic that unvaccinated people are 16 times at risk to be hospitalized compared to vaccinated people.
Joe Rogan Comments on Spotify's Vaccine Misinformation Mess
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki's comments came a day after radio and podcast host Joe Rogan took to Instagram to address the vaccine misinformation mess Spotify is facing.
Rogan posted a nearly 10-minute video to address "some of the controversies that have been going on over the past few days," per Billboard.
In the video, Rogan defended two episodes of the "Joe Rogan Experience," specifically with the one where he invited two "experts" including Dr. Robert Malone, a vaccine skeptic who prompted "baseless" theories about COVID-19 vaccines.
Rogan noted that he does not know if what his guests talk about what they were facts, contending that he is not a doctor nor a scientist.
"I'm just a person who sits down with people and has conversations with them," Rogan noted in his video. Rogan also shared that he invited some experts such as Dr. Sanjay Gupta who have a different stand with Malone, contending that he is on to "finding out what is correct" and also determining how they get to the conclusions "and what the facts are."
Rogan then highlighted that if he has anything he should have done better in his Spotify podcast, that is to invite more experts with different opinions right after the controversial episodes.
"I do all the scheduling myself, I don't always do it right," Joe emphasized, adding that he will do his best in "balancing" the controversial viewpoints with "other people's perspective."
Joe Rogan on Nick Young and Joni Mitchel's Music on Spotify
Aside from the vaccine misinformation issue, Rogan also commented on Neil Young and Joni Mitchel's move to remove their music on Spotify.
"I'm very sorry that they feel that way. I certainly don't want that," Rogan noted, adding that he was a Neil Young fan ever since.
It can be recalled that Young demanded to have his music removed from Spotify over the vaccine misinformation as he blamed the issue on Rogan.
Young said that Spotify should choose between him and Rogan, noting that the streamer has a responsibility to "mitigate the spread of misinformation" in their platform.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written By: Joshua Summers
WATCH: Jen Psaki Urges Spotify to Take Further Action on Joe Rogan: 'More Can be Done' - From The Independent