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Spotify<\/a> has started rolling out a direct message feature inside its app, which the platform says is meant to make sharing music and other content easier.<\/p>\n The new feature, announced on Tuesday (August 26), will be available on mobile devices \u201cin select markets\u201d to both Free and Premium users, but only to those aged 16 and over, Spotify said.<\/p>\n \u201cSpotify users have told us they want a dedicated space within the app to share songs, podcasts, or audiobooks they\u2019re excited about with friends and family, and an easy way to keep track of recommendations,\u201d the company said in a blog post<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cMessages also open up new opportunities for artists, authors, and creators\u2014more users can spread the word about an artist\u2019s track or creator\u2019s podcast with their friends and family, helping drive discovery.\u201d<\/p>\n To use the new DM feature, Spotify users can tap the share icon while listening to content in the Now Playing View, which will bring up a list of people the user has interacted with before through Spotify \u2013 that is, users who share a Family or Duo plan, or who\u2019ve interacted through collaborative playlists, Jams or Blends.<\/p>\n Hitting \u201csend\u201d will share that content with the selected friend, and they will have the option to accept or reject the message request.<\/p>\n Users can also opt out of DMs altogether through the Settings menu.<\/p>\n Spotify\u2019s DMs support text and emojis, but the company is quick to point out it\u2019s not aiming to replace other social media platforms.<\/p>\n \u201cAs always, you should continue sharing Spotify content directly through your favorite platforms like Instagram<\/a><\/strong>, Facebook<\/a><\/strong>, WhatsApp<\/strong>, Snapchat<\/strong>, TikTok<\/strong>, and more,\u201d the company noted.<\/p>\n \u201cMessages on Spotify are designed to complement these integrations, not replace them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMessages\u2026 open up new opportunities for artists, authors, and creators\u2014more users can spread the word about an artist\u2019s track or creator\u2019s podcast with their friends and family, helping drive discovery.\u201d<\/p>\n Spotify<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n DM chats are not fully end-to-end encrypted, but Spotify says they are protected with \u201cencryption in transit and at rest\u201d.<\/i><\/p>\n The platform plans to \u201cutilize proactive detection technology to scan messages for certain unlawful and harmful content, and our moderators will review reported content.\u201d<\/p>\n Users will also have the option to report content they believe violates the Terms of Use or Platform Rules, by holding down the message and clicking on \u201creport.\u201d<\/p>\n The new DM feature comes amid Spotify\u2019s ongoing efforts to expand its content offerings, such as podcasts and audiobooks, and develop a new \u201csuper-Premium\u201d tier, possibly branded as \u201cMusic Pro,\u201d which according to at least one news report could launch as soon as this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n It also comes in the wake of a series of price hikes, something the music industry has long been calling for. The latest round of price increases was announced<\/a> earlier this month, and affected a number of markets in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region.<\/p>\n In a recent interview<\/a> with the Financial Times<\/em>, Spotify Co-President and Chief Business Officer Alex Norstr\u00f6m<\/strong> hinted at more price hikes ahead, saying price adjustments are now \u201cpart of the toolbox<\/a>\u201d at the company.<\/p>\n Norstr\u00f6m also said the company is confident it can reach 1 billion paid subscribers<\/strong>, noting that around 3%<\/strong> of the world\u2019s population currently has a paid subscription, so \u201cthere\u2019s just so much more runway\u201d to grow the subscriber base.<\/p>\n\n