When it comes to online audio platforms, privacy matters: SoundCloud vs. Last.fm

Screenshot of DJ Unwind’s SoundCloud page. Click to hear the chilled out sounds. (photo/ND McCray)

“No matter what, privacy is an issue all-over the Internet, no matter if music is the main focus or not,” says downtempo and triphop producer DJ Unwind. ”I personally am not on a great deal of social networking sites…and I am careful about which sites I do belong to.”

In a previous blog post, I wrote about music piracy and privacy issues. Though I’m not a lawyer in any aspect, it was a general overview of how online piracy affects artists and indie labels alike. This week I’ll briefly share the privacy policies of not only Last.fm but SoundCloud®, in my opinion one of the more accessible audio services on the Internet. Not necessarily a streaming site like Spotify or Pandora, but it is a good way to listen to and discover new music by a variety of independent artists.

“They [SoundCloud] have such a great tool with their players, it helps to put your music in places fast especially when it comes to promotion. With SoundCloud, you are in control,” states Unwind, who recently remixed Usher’s latest single “Climax.”

Founded by Alex Ljung and Eric Wahlforss in Sweden but established in Germany, August 2007, SoundCloud is a worldwide online audio platform with over 20 million users. Used mostly as a music outlet to promote, upload and share original recordings, fans can comment and depending on the artist security setup, may be able to download and share music across other platforms such Facebook, and more recently Twitter and Pinterest. Their website states, “This Privacy Policy is designed to give you full transparency regarding our data protection practices.” Continuing “you have full control over your data.”

“Last.fm on the other hand, is painful,” according to Unwind via email. “They allow anybody to be an Admin of any artist and to post their content freely, which I have an issue with, especially because they will not remove anything…which is bogus.”

Browsing through Last.fm’s privacy practices is as full of legal jargon as SoundCloud’s, but the Berlin-based SoundCloud does have a “Choice and Control” section, which “enables you to control the information you share with other networks and applications.” Say if an artist doesn’t wish to have a track available for download or to share, he can disable the feature in his privacy setup. Last.fm, from what I’ve read (and I could be wrong) doesn’t have this setup.

Additionally, like many sites these days “Last.fm may also use your personal information and non-personal information to help Last.fm and its commercial partners deliver targeted advertisements, promotions and other similar initiatives to you,” as stated on the site’s policy page.  In contrast, SoundCloud says, “…most of the personal information you provide to us can be accessed and updated in the “Settings” page of your SoundCloud® account. If you wish to access, amend or delete any other personal information we hold about you, or if you have any objection to the processing of any information that we hold about you, please contact us at privacy@soundcloud.com.” More to be read on SoundCloud’s privacy policy page.

In 2008, CBS Interactive, a division of CBS Corporation acquired Last.fm. (Think: mass media), thus that could explain the variety in “content” and admin features on the UK-founded company’s website. As a music fan first –third party retrieval of information seems to be the norm with various online destinations, so if you ask me –it’s all a sticky playing field when it comes to uploading, downloading and sharing any kind of online content.

In essence, privacy does matter. Whether you are the artist or the appreciator of music, your private information should be protected as well as the music you’re sharing in the process.