Spotify Greenroom
Lively audio chatrooms on sports -- and sex; best for teens.
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Spotify Greenroom
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Spotify Greenroom is a free, voice-only chatroom app from the makers of the music streaming service Spotify. It's similar to the chatroom app Clubhouse and similar voice-only features recently launched by Facebook and Twitter. To get started, users choose topics that interest them (like sports or fashion) and then they can browse rooms by interest area or host name. Within rooms, the hosts can choose to invite people to speak and can choose to enable a chat feature; audio is automatically recorded, and creators can request a copy of their conversation and then share it as a podcast. The recording feature can also help the developers review a chat or voice recording if a participant reports abusive language or other violations of the terms of service. When the app launched in summer 2021, its developers announced a Creator Fund to pay creators whose rooms were especially well-attended or well-reviewed. Content creators can register with the app to qualify.
The terms of service state that users should be 18 or older to use the app, or that users over 13 may use the app with parental consent — but there's no process to check that. Because of the more mature themes, like explicit talk about sex, it's probably best for older teens. Parents who choose to let their younger teens use the app should consider listening with them. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change.
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What’s It About?
SPOTIFY GREENROOM is a chatroom app for iOS and Android from the makers of the streaming music app Spotify. The app is free to use and download, and people are encouraged to use their real names (though there's no verification process). To get started, you can select your interests from a long list of categories (including gaming, beauty, and business) and select more-specific subcategories like specific music genres and particular sports and sports teams. Any user can create a room, then invite others to join the room. Then you can choose which groups where the room will "go live," effectively tagging the room with different interest categories. Users can also choose to have a copy of the room audio emailed to them. The room host controls who can speak in a room. They can designate speakers and listeners, and they can allow others to speak when listeners raise their hand or post in the discussion tab. Hosts can switch the discussion tab on or off. Rooms can be recorded, which allows hosts to download their recording and use it later, perhaps as a podcast episode.
Spotify Greenroom was originally a sports-focused chatroom app called Board Room, and it was acquired by Spotify in 2021. At the time of this review, there were still many sports-focused rooms and categories, and rooms with other themes (like music and business) seemed less well-attended.
Is It Any Good?
As you might expect from the makers of Spotify, this is a solid audio streaming app, but there's definitely mature content easily available. It's simple to find rooms related to your interests, and Spotify Greenroom automatically recommends more. It also plays seamlessly in the background on your device. For content creators, it's an appealing tool: Rooms are recorded, so room hosts could save their recording and later publish it as a podcast. This recording feature also might be the app's most promising privacy feature. Having a recording of a conversation or chat transcript may help the developers enforce their rules banning abusive language and inappropriate content.
Like other social media apps, this might be a good fit for older, more mature teens. There's great potential for connecting with people who share your interests. It's appealingly earnest to drop in on rooms where people are listening to music together or talking knowledgeably about sports they love. You also might learn something, from entrepreneurs offering startup advice to DJs hosting rooms featuring new music. Meanwhile, there are also rooms featuring advice on betting on sports, investing in cryptocurrency, and sex, so your mileage may vary drastically when it comes to informative content. Overall, there's great potential for connection here, but the same pitfalls of other social media — like offensive content, abusive language, or plain old bad advice — are likely just a click away. If you're looking for a way to use voice chat to connect with other people, especially to talk about sports, Spotify Greenroom is worth a (cautious) look.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how to use Spotify Greenroom safely. Since the app is based on discussions with strangers, what can you do with unwanted requests or attention? What functionality in the app can give you control over your experience?
There are tons of rooms where people are talking about sports. Why is it interesting to hear coaches and players talk about their sport? Does it help you understand certain games better or appreciate them differently?
Talk about all of the available topics and rooms to explore. Is there representation in this app that you haven't found in other apps? What's it like to just talk to a group of people without seeing them? What's it like to listen in on conversations?
Discuss the access to mature topics. Is it okay to join those rooms or clubs? If a conversation strays into uncomfortable territory, it's easy to leave!
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Mac, Android
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: July 12, 2021
- Category: Social Networking
- Publisher: Betty Labs Incorporated
- Version: 2.0.7
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 13.0 or later
- Last updated: August 30, 2021
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