Spotify has partnered with Integral Ad Science (IAS) to create a brand safety framework for podcasts. The technology will be the first of it’s kind across a digital landscape where safety precautions currently exist for video, but not audio.

The technology uses episode-level transcription technology to help advertisers exclude topics that don’t align with their brand. 

What Spotify says. In a blog post Spotify adds “As podcasts have grown from a niche to mainstream medium, so has the need for consistent, well-established brand safety guidelines and technology.” Podcast ad revenue surpassed $1 billion in 2021 and is forecast to almost triple to more than $4 billion in 2024. 

Understanding audio safety. Spotify and IAS will launch efforts to help the audio industry understand what tools and resources are needed to deliver brand safety. They’ll also develop reporting tools aimed at giving advertisers greater transparency into where their ads are being heard.

The new technology will be powered by Spotify’s first-party data and verified by IAS’ independent analysis solutions – which adopt the Global Alliance for Responsible Media’s (GARM) guidelines. Spotify announced last year that they were the first audio partner to join GARM, helping to define what brand safety is for audio.

Prospective timeline. There is no word yet on when the new safety solutions will launch. You can read the announcement here.

Why we care. In a world of automation, advertisers crave control. Spotify and IAS’ efforts aim to provide transparency into the platform and provide safety for brands, beginning with third-party podcasts in the audience network.