Spotify is testing an explicit filter for family plans

Spotify rolled out an explicit content filter a few weeks ago, but it still has limitations compared to other streaming services. In its current form, the new explicit filter is only available for individual users, but Spotify tells The Verge that it is actively testing the explicit filter for family plans.

Spotify’s explicit filter option appeared earlier this month and is only available for Premium users on the mobile app. Per the company’s website, it is also currently restricted to individual accounts and devices, and it doesn’t apply if you use Spotify Connect to play on another device. Spotify says the feature will be coming to more devices in the future.

On explicit filtering, Spotify is better late than never. Bringing it to family plans is an obvious addition, one that would make it more competitive with parents. Although the company is only testing the filter for now, it would make sense to see the feature implemented permanently at some point down the line.

In the past, the ability to filter explicit content has often been a tipping point for parents who are deciding which streaming music provider to sign up for. Both Apple Music and Pandora have allowed users to restrict playing explicit content for some time, and Google Play offers partial explicit filtering, letting users filter while listening to radio streams. Spotify, however, is late to the game on explicit filtering, even though it’s a feature users have actively asked for (and acknowledged by Spotify) for years.