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Spotify is testing a new way to keep kids songs out of your listening history

In three countries, parents with Spotify’s Family plan can create subaccounts for the under-13 set that have their own restrictions and recommendations.

In three countries, parents with Spotify’s Family plan can create subaccounts for the under-13 set that have their own restrictions and recommendations.

Vector illustration of the Spotify logo.
Vector illustration of the Spotify logo.
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge
Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler is a senior editor following news across tech, culture, policy, and entertainment. He joined The Verge in 2021 after several years covering news at Engadget.

If kids are asking to hear one song from Encanto on repeat, it can filter back into the algorithm and recommendations for a parent’s Spotify profile. The company tried addressing the issue with a dedicated kids app, and last year, Spotify added a feature to exclude specific playlists from a user’s taste profile.

Now, Spotify is launching a pilot in three countries to test managed accounts for users under the age of 13.

For parents and guardians, managed accounts enable them to better tailor the content that is available to young listeners via in-app controls—like managing the playback of Canvas, videos, and content labeled as explicit. They will now also be able to decide whether a young listener can play certain artists or tracks with Spotify’s new control feature.

Simulated screenshots of Spotify managed account setup on three mobile devices, with controls for what the accounts can access and listen to.
Image: Spotify

It’s available for users with the Premium Family plan in Denmark, New Zealand, and Sweden to start — there’s no word on when it will be enabled for the now $19.99 per month Family plan in the US.

Keeping Bluey, Raffi, and the rest out of the top spots on your annual Spotify Wrapped roundup may not be the biggest problem parents face. But having this available could be enough to sell a few more subscribers on upgrading, and it sets up youth with their own accounts.

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