Spotify cracks down on Premium pirates streaming for free

Music streaming giant Spotify is cracking down on users who employ apps to bypass restrictions and access a modified version of its premium services without paying. The Swedish company, which last week filed for a public listing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, has begun emailing listeners it believes to be using illegal software saying it has "detected abnormal activity" and warning that their accounts have been deactivated and will not be restored until the offending programmes have been uninstalled. "If we detect repeated use of unauthorised apps in violation of our terms, we reserve all rights including suspending or terminating your account," non-paying subscribers are cautioned. The free version of Spotify has 88m subscribers but inserts audio adverts every three tracks and ensures songs can only be played on shuffle mode, conditions the premium service removes at a cost of £9.99 a month. The apps in question do not provide the high-quality streaming a premium account would offer but do allow users to sidestep the adverts and restrictions that many find annoying.