Spotify confirms it is no longer running ICE recruitment ads after months of backlash, though many listeners say the change came too late to matter.
Spotify's ICE ads have ended
Music streaming service Spotify has been under fire recently for running ads for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (otherwise known as ICE) which caused many listeners to cancel their subscriptions. Now, music fans can be relieved to know that at the end of 2025, the ads finally stopped.
A rep for Spotify told Variety, "There are currently no ICE ads running on Spotify. The advertisements mentioned were part of a U.S. government recruitment campaign that ran across all major media and platforms.”
The campaign ended last year before an ICE agent named Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The murder has sparked outrage, protests, and reactions from high-profile individuals.
Music fans react to the end of the ICE campaign
Many people have opinions on Spotify's recent change. While some are happy that the streaming service is no longer associated with ICE, most think it's too little too late. It seems as though the contract between ICE and Spotify just ended, not that Spotify was taking any kind of stand against the organization.
ICE has been likened to a modern-day Gestapo as they terrorize people and kidnap them off the streets. They recently teargassed children in a car, nearly killing a baby in the process (via CNN). It's hard to justify using a service that was ever willing to back these people. Still, the internet has plenty of opinions on the matter.
"Damage is done," wrote u/zidave0 on Reddit.
Another user, u/TheHouseofGryffindor, brought up the Streisand Effect, saying, "This has got to be the fourth or fifth time I’ve seen this same sort of headline popping up here over the last handful of days. Someone needs to tell Spotify about the Streisand Effect, and that pushing these headlines out isn’t helping their case."
Others pointed out that this might not be the end and that there are other options.
"To be clear, Spotify didn't stop running these ads out of any sort of stand," u/bubbafatok wrote. "The campaign ended before the shooting even happened. They'd still [expletive] take ICE's money if it was offered."
"The best thing about Spotify running ICE ads is that it’s opened my eyes to the fact that Spotify is a pretty middle-of-the-road streaming service. Unless you love podcasts, it’s probably not the best option for you," u/RootinTootinHootin posted.
"Too little, too late. Already canceled and switched," wrote u/thisisredlitre. But not for some.
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