Spotify adds messaging feature to strengthen social experience on app
The launch underscores Spotify’s ongoing push to expand beyond audio streaming and deepen user engagement by weaving more social interaction into its app.
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Spotify has rolled out a direct messaging feature as part of its efforts to become a more social platform for content discovery and sharing.
Until now, users have largely relied on external apps to exchange Spotify links for music and podcasts. The new tool is designed to keep such interactions within Spotify itself, while also retaining a history of shared content so that users no longer need to search for previously sent songs, according to a report by TechCrunch.
The feature supports only one-to-one messaging and can be initiated only with people with whom a user has already shared content. This includes contacts who are part of collaborative playlists, those who have joined a Jam or a Blend, or users linked through Family and Duo plans. To begin a conversation, a request must be sent and subsequently approved by the recipient.
Spotify is also enabling entry into chats via external platforms. If someone sends a Spotify link on apps such as Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat or TikTok, the recipient can tap on the link to approve a request to chat. Alternatively, users can send invite links directly to people in their contacts.
The company has positioned the new function as a complement rather than a replacement for sharing content on other platforms. Messages can be accessed by tapping on a user’s profile picture, with all conversations housed under the ‘Messages’ section. Users will also be able to react to individual messages with emojis.
On the privacy front, Spotify said messages are encrypted at rest and in transit but not secured with end-to-end encryption. The company has confirmed it will proactively review messages for potential breaches of platform rules. Users will also have the ability to report messages, which will then be investigated in line with Spotify’s terms of service and community standards.
The launch underscores Spotify’s ongoing push to expand beyond audio streaming and deepen user engagement by weaving more social interaction into its app.
