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Spotify has expanded its “Verified by Spotify” feature to podcasts as part of its latest effort to ensure authentic content on the platform.
The feature was introduced earlier this month for music artists amid broader industry pressure on platforms to address AI-generated content. As of May 19, listeners will see the “Verified by Spotify” label and a light green checkmark beneath the names of approved shows.
“This is a medium built on connection,” the company stated. “It lives in the chemistry between co-hosts, in the relationship between creators and the fans who return week after week, and in the dialogue around ideas and culture.
“As creation becomes more accessible, the need for clarity and trust becomes even more important.”
The company said the badge “identifies a show as the official presence of a creator, publisher, or brand” and “that the show has been reviewed against Spotify’s standards for authenticity and trust.”
Eligibility is determined by several factors, including sustained listener activity with consistent engagement over time, compliance with Spotify’s platform policies, and an identifiable presence on and off the platform, such as linked social accounts.
While Spotify has been continuously rolling out AI features, they emphasized that AI “can also be misused, including to misrepresent voices or confuse listeners.”
The move builds on Spotify’s existing policies against impersonation, which include set protections for podcasts and tools for listeners to report content.
Spotify previously used a blue checkmark as its verification marker, beginning in 2017. While the badge signaled that an artist’s profile was claimed and managed through Spotify for Artists, it did not confirm the authenticity or real-world identity of the creator. The checkmark now denotes a “Registered Artist.”
“Creators and listeners are at the center of everything we do,” Spotify stated. “Podcasting works because of the trust between them, and protecting that trust is essential as the format grows.
“These updates are the first in a series of steps we’re taking to support a more trustworthy podcast ecosystem for creators, partners, and listeners. We’ll continue to progress and share what’s next as we go.”
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