No, Spotify didn't pull Joe Rogan's podcast
The company says a technical problem is to blame.
Don't panic if you can't play The Joe Rogan Experience or other podcasts on Spotify. The streaming service has confirmed to Engadget that a "technical issue" is preventing users from playing a number of Spotify podcasts, including Joe Rogan's and The Ringer shows like The Bill Simmons Podcast. The company didn't elaborate on what went wrong, but the shows are frequently missing.
Spotify didn't say exactly when the podcasts would be available again. The issue should be "resolved soon," according to a spokesperson. Some users have already reported shows returning.
The timing is less than ideal for Spotify, to put it mildly. The glitch comes soon after a controversy over misinformation in Spotify's podcasts. Rogan in particular has been accused of spreading and tolerating false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, including guest Dr. Robert Malone's unsupported claims that a "psychosis" led many people to get shots. Artists like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills & Nash pulled their music from Spotify in protest, while doctors and scientists have called on the service to create a misinformation policy.
Spotify has so far resisted demands to pull episodes or shows. Chief executive Daniel Ek has promised a number of changes, such as content advisories for episodes discussing COVID-19, but has maintained that allowing misinformation promoted critical thinking and debate. This clearly didn't reassure users — it wasn't hard to find people worrying Spotify had pulled Rogan's shows despite past promises.
