[…] being able to say, “wherever you get your podcasts” is a radical statement. Because what it represents is the triumph of exactly the kind of technology that’s supposed to be impossible: open, empowering tech that’s not owned by any one company, that can’t be controlled by any one company, and that allows people to have ownership over their work and their relationship with their audience.
What podcasting holds in the promise of its open format is the proof that an open web can still thrive and be relevant, that it can inspire new systems that are similarly open to take root and grow.
As a Spotify user for most of its history, I think there are some UI and UX issues to resolve, but I literally have never had the experience you describe here.
I dunno what to say. These days 2 different people can have 2 completely different experiences using the same service because they’re “tailored” to the user, and usually the users has absolutely no control over it. So maybe that’s why.
I tried to use it as a podcast platform for about a week and to this day, several years later, even after I told it I’m not interested several times, it still clogs my homepage up with this bullshit.
Add to that “picked for you” and “your top mixes” etc.etc. and the stuff I actually want to listen to is nowhere to be found.
Every modern “app” and service is this way in 2024 and it’s absolutely infuriating. They all want to cram shit down your throat instead of letting you choose what you want.
I feel ya. I’m not sure why you’re having that much trouble and I’m not. I tried a couple podcasts, hated it, and stopped seeing recommendations pretty quickly. I get what you mean about so many recommendations though, it’s kind of annoying sometimes.