Photo Credit: Marv Watson
Post-hardcore veterans Thursday have publicly condemned Spotify. The band has criticized the app for running recruitment advertisements for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agency was called out by the band in a statement.
On Wednesday, October 16, the band issued a statement where they urged Spotify to “remove any and all ICE recruit advertising from its platform” and encouraged fans to join in calling for its removal.
The controversy centers on ads reportedly appearing for users on Spotify’s ad-supported tiers, offering a $50,000 signing bonus for new ICE agents. Thursday’s message frames the issue as one that requires collective pressure: “A single voice is tiny but collective action is mighty, so please join us in publicly asking Spotify to remove all ICE advertising immediately.”
According to Metal Injection, the band did not hold back in criticizing Spotify’s response. The streaming service has defended the ads, stating that they are part of a broader federal campaign and claim they do not violate existing advertising policies. Thursday countered that relegating dissent to users’ “thumbs down” responses is insufficient, arguing that the platform must do the hard work of making principled choices. As of this writing, Thursday’s music remains available on Spotify.
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