Spotify has confirmed the removal of several pro-war Russian artists' songs and profiles from its platform. This action specifically targets artists who are currently under Western sanctions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The affected artists include:

• Lyube
• Grigory Leps
• Oleg Gazmanov
• Shaman
• Polina Gagarina

A Spotify spokesperson stated that content violating platform policies or local laws meets their "threshold for removal." This move follows Spotify's 2022 decision to suspend services in Russia and close its offices after the Ukraine invasion.

This decision raises questions about Spotify's content removal policies, as the platform has historically maintained content from controversial artists like R. Kelly, Kanye West, and Diddy despite various controversies.

Previous content removal instances include:

• 2017: Removal of 37 bands affiliated with white supremacist hate groups
• 2022: Removal of select Joe Rogan episodes
• Ongoing removal of content promoting hatred or violence based on race, religion, or sexuality

While Spotify maintains a stance against hateful content, critics note that major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and YouTube, continue to host controversial content on their services.

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