Using Spotify Safely
For many children and teens, Spotify is a natural part of their daily lives. The platform is primarily used for listening to music, but it now offers much more than just traditional music streaming. In this section, parents and other caregivers can learn about the types of content children and teens may encounter on Spotify and the risks associated with it. Topics covered include problematic content, potential contact with strangers, and the use of video services. Parents will also find tips and strategies on this page to help them safely guide their children as they use the platform.
What is Spotify?
Spotify is a streaming service that primarily allows users to listen to music, podcasts, and audiobooks over the Internet. The service originally launched as a music streaming platform but has significantly expanded its offerings over the years. In addition to music and podcasts , it now also features videos, interactive features, and various ways to share content with others.
A Spotify account is required to use the service. Registration is free, but the free version of Spotify comes with certain limitations. In addition , there are paid Premium subscriptions that offer , among other things, ad-free listening and additional features. The specific content and features available depend on the particular plan.
After signing up, users can search for and play music, podcasts, or other content on their own. At the same time, Spotify suggests additional content based on previous usage and creates personalized playlists, for example. Users can also create their own playlists, save content, and share or collaboratively edit playlists with others.
Thanks to its wide range of features, Spotify has long since ceased to be merely a music service. For children and teens, the platform can become a place where they consume various types of media, discover content, and connect with other users.
Spotify for Kids - At what age is Spotify allowed?
There are different age requirements for using Spotify, as the age requirements in Spotify’s Terms of Service differ from the age ratings in app stores.
According to the Terms of Use, users in Germany must generally be at least 18 years old. Teenagers aged 16 and older can use Spotify if their parents give their consent.
In the German Apple App Store, the Spotify app is rated“13+,” and in the German Google Play Store, it is rated“USK 12+.” The age ratings in the app stores are intended to provide parents with guidance on which age groups individual apps may be suitable for. Among other factors, the app’s features and content are taken into account. As a result, the app may be approved for a younger age group in the App Store, even though Spotify sets a higher minimum age for using its service.
In practice, however, the user’s age or parental consent is not verified when registering a Spotify account. As a result, children and younger teenagers may use the standard Spotify app even though they do not yet meet the requirements for their own contract with Spotify.
For younger children, Spotify Kids managed accounts for young listeners. With these accounts, parents can, among other things, specify what content their children are allowed to listen to and restrict certain content or features. This requires a paid Premium Family subscription. Families pay approximately 22 euros per month for this (as of September 2026). The service thus involves significant additional costs.
What are the reasons against children using Spotify?
In addition to music, Spotify now also offers podcasts, audiobooks, videos, and various social features. The content that children and teens may encounter is correspondingly diverse. The report “How Safe Is Spotify?” by jugendschutz.net shows that, despite existing protective measures, problematic and harmful content cannot be ruled out on Spotify. The following areas are particularly relevant for parents.
In addition to age-appropriate content, Spotify also features material that may be unsuitable for children and teenagers. This includes, for example , pornographic content, graphic depictions of violence, content that is degrading or extremist, as well as depictions and glorification of sexualized violence. Such content is not limited to songs. Playlist or profile pictures, transcribed song lyrics, audiobooks, and podcasts can also contain problematic content.
What’s particularly problematic is that children don’t necessarily have to actively search for such content. Spotify generates personalized recommendations based on past listening behavior and suggests appropriate songs, playlists, and other content to users. As a result, content may be suggested that a child wasn’t originally looking for at all.
Spotify labels some content as “Explicit.” However, this label does not provide complete protection. It is based, among other things, on information provided by rights holders and is therefore not equally meaningful for all problematic content. Furthermore, content that is not labeled as such may also be problematic.
Children and teenagers may also come across content on Spotify that addresses or glorifies self-harming or harmful behavior. For example, jugendschutz.net found playlists and songs with references to suicide, self-harm, drug use, or eating disorders. In some cases, the accompanying images also contained such depictions.
Such content can be particularly problematic for children and adolescents who are already in a stressful situation or are especially vulnerable to certain topics. For them, content that portrays self-harm, suicide, or risky behavior as normal, desirable, or a solution to personal problems can be especially dangerous.
Spotify now directs users to support resources for certain search queries and has implemented measures regarding content related to suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders. Nevertheless, such content may still appear on the platform.
Political and ideological content can also be problematic for young users. jugendschutz.net documented numerous instances of far-right and other extremist content on Spotify. This included, among other things, songs, playlists, and profile pictures with far-right, anti-Semitic, or Islamist references. The glorification of terrorist violence and banned organizations was also identified.
In addition, there are podcasts and other audio content in which, for example, conspiracy theories, misanthropic statements, or far-right worldviews are disseminated. It can be difficult for children and younger adolescents to recognize and contextualize such content as propaganda or deliberate manipulation.
Spotify offers various ways to connect with other users or share content with one another. Users can follow each other, view profiles, create shared playlists, and share content via the messaging feature. This can also lead to connections with people who do not know each other outside of Spotify.
This also creates opportunities for unwanted contact. It can be particularly difficult for children and teens to assess who is behind a profile and what that person’s intentions are. A connection can arise, for example, through shared interests, shared music, or playlists.
A particular risk is cybergrooming. This refers to the targeted approach to children or adolescents in which perpetrators first build trust in order to later initiate sexual contact or obtain sexualized images. Spotify can be used as a starting point for such contact. Shared interests—such as specific music or a passion for certain artists—can provide a seemingly harmless way to start a conversation.
Images can also play a role on Spotify. For example, users can upload their own images as a profile picture or as a playlist cover. Although this feature is not intended for private image sharing, images can become visible to other users as a result. According to Spotify’s current information, the messaging feature itself allows users to exchange only text and emojis and to share Spotify content. Users cannot send their own photos or videos as files through this feature.
Spotify is often perceived as a music app. However, the service is no longer limited to audio content. Videos and other visual content may also be displayed alongside certain songs, podcasts, and other offerings. As a result, children and teens on Spotify may encounter not only problematic music or song lyrics, but also inappropriate images and videos.
This is particularly important for parents who have already restricted their children’s video usage elsewhere. For example, parents who block YouTube or TikTok on their child’s smartphone—or limit their use—should not automatically assume that this also restricts access to videos. Children and teens can also access video content through Spotify. The app should therefore not be considered unproblematic simply because it is primarily used for listening to music.
The report “How Safe Is Spotify?” by jugendschutz.net shows that problematic visual content—including pornographic and violent depictions—has been found on Spotify in the past. In addition, age restrictions may now be applied to certain music videos. Spotify labels individual videos as “18+” and may require an age verification to access them. However, such measures do not automatically cover all content that may be unsuitable for children and teens.
Which videos and visual content are displayed depends, among other things, on the specific service and the account being used. For paid, parent-managed accounts for younger listeners, videos and certain other visual content can be restricted.
For parents, this means that Spotify is no longer exclusively a platform for listening to music. Even if a child uses the app primarily for music, they may encounter videos and other visual content there. This means that, alongside traditional video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, Spotify is also among the services through which children and teens can access moving images.
How can parents protect their children on Spotify?
- Use Technical Protection Features
Spotify offers various settings that allow parents to make the platform safer for children and teens. These include, for example, blocking content flagged as inappropriate, excluding certain artists or songs, and disabling messages and certain social features. Privacy settings—such as those controlling the visibility of one’s profile, followers, or listening habits—can also be adjusted.
For younger children, Spotify also offers managed accounts. Here, parents can set more comprehensive guidelines and, for example, specify what content the child is allowed to listen to. These profiles are also better protected against contact with other users. However, this feature is tied to Spotify’s specific account plans and comes with high costs.
It’s important to note, however, that with a standard Spotify account, children and teens can change many of these settings themselves. There is no way for parents to permanently lock their own safety settings with a PIN or similar protection to prevent the child from changing them. For example, if parents disable the messaging feature, the child can change this setting back on their own. This also applies to other safety and privacy settings.
Parents should therefore view technical safeguards as a support tool, not as a means of complete control. The platform www.medien-kindersicher.de shows which settings are useful and how to set them up. - Guiding Age-Appropriate Media Use
Guide your child’smedia use and talk regularly about the content they listen to and watch on Spotify. Discuss together that not all songs, podcasts, audiobooks, or videos are suitable for children and teens. Even personalized recommendations aren’t automatically age-appropriate: Based on past listening habits, Spotify suggests additional content that your child may not have even been looking for. Therefore, encourage your child to critically evaluate recommendations and content and to turn to a trusted adult if they’re unsure. - Explain reporting and support options
Show your child how to block other users on Spotify and report problematic content . Also explain that they can seek help outside the platform if they encounter unwanted contact or problematic content. For example, children and teens can contact “Nummer gegen Kummer” or “JUUUPORT” anonymously and free of charge. Problematic or potentially illegal content can also be reported to jugendschutz.net or the Internet Complaint Office. - Discussing Contact Options and Cybergrooming
Talk to your child about how Spotify can lead to contact with other people. These can be strangers as well as people from their own social circle. Explain to your child that a profile doesn’t always reflect the person or intentions you might initially assume. Agree together on who your child is allowed to contact and what personal information, photos, or other private content they are allowed to share.
Also, make your child aware of the dangers of cybergrooming. In this context, individuals deliberately try to gain the trust of children or teens in order to initiate sexual contact or obtain sexualized content. Such contact can come from strangers, but also from people your child already knows. Make it clear to your child that they can end or report any uncomfortable or strange interactions at any time. Also, make it clear to your child that they can confide in you, even if they may have already responded to messages. It’s important that your child doesn’t have to fear punishment if they seek help. - Keep an Eye on Usage Time
Pay attention to how much time your child spends on Spotify. It’s not just the sheer duration of use that matters, but also what Spotify is being used for. Music playing in the background while studying, for example, should be viewed differently than watching videos for hours on end. Since Spotify now offers podcasts, audiobooks, and videos in addition to music, usage patterns can vary widely.
Therefore, work together to establish age-appropriate rules for media use, and be sure to include other services your child uses. Observe whether usage is interfering with other activities such as sleep, school, exercise, or spending time with friends. Technical time limits can help, but they shouldn’t be the only measure. Parental control software can be helpful for keeping track of which services are being used and for how long.