Guide to Setting Up Spotify Parental Controls to Keep Your Kids Safe

November 24, 2023

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With Spotify being one of the most popular music streaming services, many parents wonder whether Spotify is safe for kids. The good news is that Spotify offers robust parental control features to help parents manage what their kids listen to. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about setting up parental controls on Spotify and using Spotify safely for kids.

Why Use Parental Controls on Spotify?

Parental Controls on Spotify

In today’s digital world, kids have access to all kinds of content online. Music streaming services like Spotify give access to millions of songs, including explicit content.

As a parent, you may be concerned about the type of content your kids are listening to on Spotify. Parental controls allow you to restrict access to explicit music and block content that is not appropriate for your kids’ age.

Parental controls help keep your kids safe while allowing them to enjoy age-appropriate music on Spotify. They give you control over what your children can access so you can rest assured they are listening to suitable content.

Is Spotify Safe For Kids

Spotify is a popular music streaming platform that offers a wide range of songs and podcasts for users to enjoy. However, parents often wonder, “Is Spotify safe for kids?” When it comes to explicit content, Spotify has taken measures to provide a safe listening experience for children.

The platform offers a separate app called Spotify Kids, specially designed for younger audiences. This app includes a curated selection of age-appropriate music and stories, ensuring that children are exposed to suitable content. Moreover, Spotify Kids does not display any explicit album covers or ads that may contain inappropriate material.

Parents can also set up a PIN code to restrict access to certain songs or podcasts, giving them more control over what their children listen to. With these features in place, Spotify can be considered a safe and child-friendly platform for kids to enjoy music and audio content.

Spotify Parental Control Features

Spotify offers two main parental control features:

spotify parental controls

Spotify Family and Spotify Kids

Spotify Family allows up to six accounts to share one Spotify Premium Family plan. The family manager can set restrictions on the accounts to control explicit content.

Spotify Kids is a separate app designed specifically for children. It provides a kid-friendly interface and contains playlists that are already screened for inappropriate content.

Explicit Content Filter

This allows you to block or unblock playback of songs marked as explicit. You can enable it on Family, Student, or Individual plans.

How To Set Up Spotify Parental Controls 

Here are step-by-step instructions for setting up parental controls using Spotify’s various features:

Set Up a Family Account

  • Upgrade to Spotify Premium Family. This allows up to six accounts on one plan.
  • Create child accounts and set their age. Age helps determine what content they can access.
  • As the family manager, you can block explicit content and control app settings for child accounts.

Use Spotify Kids

  • Download the Spotify Kids app from the app store on your child’s device.
  • Set up a profile for your child. Make sure to select their age which filters content.
  • The app contains kid-friendly music and stories. Kids can’t search for or play non-approved content.

Turn On Explicit Content Filter

  • On your account, go to Settings > Explicit Content Filter.
  • Toggle filter on to block explicit songs from playing. This applies across devices.
  • You can also block an artist which prevents all their songs from playing.

Set Up a PIN Code

  • In account Settings, go to Parental Controls.
  • Turn on “Require authentication on Spotify for playback” and enter a PIN.
  • Now your child needs to enter the PIN code to play music on their Spotify account.

What Can Parents Block on Spotify?

Here are some of the types of inappropriate content you can block using Spotify’s parental control settings:

  • Songs marked as explicit
  • Specific artists whose content you deem unsuitable
  • Browse and search results for explicit music
  • Ability to listen without entering a PIN code

The Spotify Kids app goes even further by only allowing access to approved content for kids. It does not include explicit songs, only kid-friendly music, stories, and playlists.

Creating a Kid-Friendly Spotify Experience

Aside from blocking explicit content, there are some other things you can do to make Spotify more kid-friendly:

  • Create a playlist with clean versions of popular songs your kids want to listen to.
  • Follow kid-friendly Spotify playlists like “Toddler Tunes” and “Sing-Alongs for Kids“.
  • Pre-approve playlists and albums you consider appropriate for your child to listen to.
  • Regularly check in on your child’s listening activity using Spotify’s built-in controls.
  • Have an open conversation with your kid about online safety and dangers of explicit content.

Important Things to Keep in Mind

Here are some key things to remember when setting up and using Spotify parental controls:

  • Parental control features work best with a Premium Family Plan.
  • Double check settings periodically as kids get older to adjust content restrictions accordingly.
  • Accounts managed under Family allow the manager to override some account restrictions.
  • Parental controls help minimize risks but can’t guarantee 100% inappropriate content blocking.
  • Have an ongoing dialogue with kids about music content and online safety.
  • Make sure kids understand why explicit content filters are in place.

Spotify Offers Robust Parental Controls

Spotify provides powerful parental control tools to help parents manage what their kids listen to. With Family plans, Spotify Kids, content filtering, PIN codes, and approved playlists, you can ensure your child has a safe, kid-friendly experience.

As with all technology usage, open communication about online safety is still important. But you can feel assured knowing Spotify has options to block explicit content and empower parents to control their kid’s listening experience.

FAQ:

Here are some frequently asked questions about Spotify’s parental control features:

What is the difference between Spotify Family and Spotify Kids?

Spotify Family allows up to six accounts on one subscription plan with parental controls like content filtering. Spotify Kids is a separate app specifically designed for kids with only pre-approved content.

Can I recover songs blocked by the explicit filter?

Yes, as the account holder you can override the filter at any time to unblock songs marked explicit.

Does Spotify Kids have advertising?

No, Spotify Kids is a paid service with no ads. It requires a Premium Family plan subscription.

What happens if my kid tries to play explicit music?

If you have enabled the explicit filter, your child will get a notification that the content is blocked. To play it, they would need the account holder to override restrictions.

Can multiple kids share a Spotify Kids account?

No, each child should have their own Spotify Kids account set up with their age which personalizes the experience.

Can I use Spotify parental controls for free?

Parental control capabilities like content filtering require a Premium Family or Individual plan. Spotify Kids requires a Premium Family subscription.

How often should I reassess parental control settings?

It’s a good idea to periodically recheck your Spotify parental control settings as your child gets older or their interests change to continue blocking inappropriate content.