Streaming service Spotify removes far-right radio host Alex Jones podcast episodes

STOCKHOLM: The world's largest streaming service Spotify has removed podcast episodes of American far-right radio show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for breaching its policy against hate speech.

"Spotify can confirm it has removed specific episodes of 'The Alex Jones Show' podcast for violating our hate content policy," a spokesperson told AFP in an e-mail on Friday, without specifying how many or which episodes were removed. 

Jones, a Donald Trump supporter who runs the far-right website InfoWars, has been sued by the parents of the children killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting for claiming the massacre was staged.

Spotify's move to remove some of his content came after complaints by users. 

"We take reports of hate content seriously and review any podcast episode or song that is flagged by our community," the Swedish company said. 

This is not the first time the music service has removed content under its policy banning material that "promotes, advocates or incites hatred or violence against a group or individual based on race, religion, gender identity, sex, ethnicity, nationality and sexual orientation" among others. 

Spotify announced in May that it would no longer feature R.Kelly songs in its playlists or user recommendations, after the Time's Up movement for gender equality urged the music business to dump the R&B star over sexual abuse allegations. 

But the company later backtracked on the policy after facing criticism that it was hurting musicians over vague criteria.