SoundCloud - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

SoundCloud is High Risk.

SoundCloud is High Risk. The company yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. SoundCloud embraces corporate initiatives that redirect its central focus from business goals to partisan policies and divisive issues. This approach fails to safeguard free exercise, free speech, and free enterprise.

Rating Criteria

Corporate Weaponization Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Cancellations	High Risk
Discriminatory Philanthropy	No Data
Employment Protection	Medium Risk

Corporate Weaponization ⓘ

Corporate Governance and Public Policy Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Advocacy Bias	Lower Risk
Funding	Lower Risk
Political Actions	No Data

Corporate Governance and Public Policy ⓘ

Rating Criteria Detail

Criteria Risk Level Rationale

Corporate Weaponization

Criteria:

Has canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

SoundCloud’s guidelines state that users are “welcome to share (their) opinions and beliefs on SoundCloud, even if they might be controversial or challenge the status quo” (1). However, the company does not allow tobacco or firearm companies to advertise on its platform. It also prohibits ads from religious organizations (2). SoundCloud has also removed music by conservative rappers Bryson Gray and Patriot J (3). The company also terminated its contract with Family Research Council (4).

Criteria:

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

SoundCloud does not publish charitable giving guidelines, but in 2020 it did introduce a feature for artists to include a donation button on their page (1).

Criteria:

Employment policies fail to protect against viewpoint or other discrimination and/or are ideological in nature.

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

SoundCloud does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1)(2).