Listeners, many of them younger users, have been posting on the sparsely trafficked Spotify comment sections of NPR podcast episodes, turning the underused feature into an informal chat space. The comments sections, rather than containing feedback on the episodes themselves, have filled with casual back-and-forth conversation among a recurring group of users.
thisamericanlife.org
· 2026-09-28
NPR staff discovered that middle schoolers were using the Spotify comment section under an episode of its Wild Card podcast to chat with friends, initially mistaking the flurry of cryptic, emoji-laden posts for bot spam. This American Life host Ira Glass investigated the phenomenon, learning that kids sought out podcasts with few existing comments specifically to use as a private-feeling space. NPR says a similar pattern occurred previously on an episode of Ted Radio Hour.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-26
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