SPOTIFY HAS ANNOUNCED its acquisition of Dublin-based online content analysts Kinzen, as the company pledges to improve its ability to address harmful content.

Kinzen, which was set up by Storyful founder Mark Little and ex-Facebook executive Áine Kerr, was launched in 2019.

The company provides data and research to help firms to detect and monitor misinformation, hateful content, violent content, violent extremism and dangerous organisations. In particular, the company said, it has developed expertise in the moderation of podcasts. 

Spotify and Kinzen began a partnership in 2020, and today it was confirmed that the podcast giant has acquired the Irish-based firm. 

In a statement, Spotify said its partnership with Kinzen had been critical to enhancing its approach to platform safety. 

“The company’s unique technology is particularly suited for podcasting and audio formats, making its value to Spotify clear and unmatched,” it said.

“The technology the Kinzen team brings to Spotify combines machine learning and human expertise—backed by analysis from leading local academics and journalists—to analyse potential harmful content and hate speech in multiple languages and countries.”

Kinzen’s partnership with Spotify began in 2020. Our aligned vision of online safety led to a deeper relationship, and to a decision we are proud to announce today: that Kinzen has been acquired by Spotify. Read more here: https://t.co/ifiSWuxgz8

— Kinzen (@wearekinzen) October 5, 2022

The company said the acquisition will also help Spotify to better understand the “abuse landscape and identify emerging threats” on the platform.