Berlin-based online music distribution platform SoundCloud has announced a change to its privacy policy, a change which is aimed at its users from the United States.
The firm has a number of local equivalents in different countries, collectively referred to as the "SoundCloud Group". This is important because of the new section called "Data Controller" that will become part of its policy starting next month.
In essence, all user data from the site was until now controlled by its European entity, SoundCloud Limited. From May onwards, data from users in the US will be transferred to the United States subsidiary, SoundCloud Inc. The full change is below:
Data controller
If you are a US user, your data is controlled by our United States entity SoundCloud Inc. If you are a user from outside the United States, your data is controlled by our European entity SoundCloud Limited. In order to determine whether you are a United States user or a user from outside the United States, we use your device’s IP address at time of registration. We may share your data with other companies within the SoundCloud Group. A sharing of data will only take place in accordance with the specific purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. You can withdraw your consent at any time.
United States users’ data may be processed by SoundCloud Limited on SoundCloud Inc.’s behalf.
This expansion of the policy is done on the back of what SoundCloud views as its continued growth, motivating that they want users" data from a certain country to be controlled by the appropriate local equivalent. The firm also goes on to state that this move will allow them to "provide those users with a more personalized SoundCloud experience".
The new privacy policy takes effect May 17, 2017 and can be read in full here.