Spotify, the world’s leading music streaming platform, is facing intense criticism and boycott calls following CEO Daniel Ek’s announcement of a €600m ($702m) investment in Helsing, a German defence startup specialising in AI-powered combat drones and military software.

The move, announced on 17 June, has sparked widespread outrage from musicians, activists and social media users who accuse Ek of funnelling profits from music streaming into the military industry.

Many have started calling on users to cancel their subscriptions to the service.

“Finally cancelling my Spotify subscription – why am I paying for a fuckass app that works worse than it did 10 years ago, while their CEO spends all my money on technofascist military fantasies?” said one user on X.

  • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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    5 hours ago

    Europe used the specter of Russia to justify it’s dive into militant fascism the last time too.

    • General_Effort@lemmy.world
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      5 hours ago

      False. Western Europe increased arms spending in response to German aggression. Germany increased arms spending… well.

      • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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        5 hours ago

        Germany, famously not part of Europe.

        Germany increased arms spending… well.

        Well what? The specter of Russia was a huge part of how Germany justified it’s fascism.

        Just like now.