Spotify removed thousands of phony drug sales podcasts, investigation finds

Spotify Removed Thousands of Phony Drug Sales Podcasts, Investigation Finds

Spotify removed thousands of phony drug – Following reports from CNN and other news outlets that brought attention to the issue last year, a new investigation has revealed that Spotify removed tens of thousands of counterfeit drug sales podcasts. These podcasts were identified as promoting illegal online pharmacies, which allegedly sold medications like Adderall and Oxycontin without proper prescriptions. The findings, released this week, highlight Spotify’s struggle to proactively detect and eliminate content that could endanger users.

Senator Launches Probe After Initial Exposures

Months after Spotify announced the removal of dozens of such podcasts linked to CNN’s reporting, Senator Maggie Hassan initiated a formal investigation. As the ranking member of the Joint Economic Committee, Hassan scrutinized Spotify’s policies and actions, alleging that the company failed to act swiftly to prevent users from accessing potentially harmful material. The probe emphasized that the fake podcasts violated Spotify’s guidelines and could have led listeners to unreliable or illicit websites.

“As criminals use AI to perpetuate scams and other dangerous actions faster and in larger quantities, all online platforms need to step up, protect their users, and enforce comprehensive strategies to remove illegal content,” Hassan said in a statement shared with CNN ahead of the report’s release.

The senator’s inquiry came amid growing concerns about the role of digital platforms in enabling the spread of counterfeit drugs. With multiple teens having died from overdoses linked to pills purchased online, parents, experts, and lawmakers have been pushing tech companies to take stronger measures against such content. Spotify, however, has defended its approach, describing the removals as part of a broader effort to combat spam campaigns targeting online pharmacies.

Spotify’s Defenses and Reporting Systems

Spotify’s spokesperson, Laura Batey, told CNN that the fake podcasts were a “spam attack” aimed at increasing visibility for the purported pharmacies in search engines. She argued that the company was not directly targeting Spotify users for drug sales but rather addressing content that sought to exploit the platform for commercial gain. “Bad actors attempting to abuse our platform will always try to circumvent or evade our detection,” Batey added, “but when we are made aware of such attempts, we act quickly to remove the content and refine our systems.”

The company operates a system that allows anyone to create, distribute, and monetize podcasts. However, its rules explicitly forbid content that “illicitly promotes the sale of regulated or illegal goods,” including drugs. Spotify relies on a mix of automated tools and human review to enforce these policies, though the effectiveness of the process has been called into question by the latest findings. The report notes that Spotify’s reporting structure has improved over time, with Batey stating that the company’s “response time has accelerated year over year.”

Scope of Removal and Data Tracking Gaps

According to the investigation, Spotify removed 3,500 podcast accounts and 57,000 individual episodes between May and November of last year. This represents a significant increase from the fewer than 100 accounts removed the previous year, as the company did not track such data in the same way. The report also noted that 94% of the fake podcasts had never been streamed, while 99% received fewer than 10 streams, defined as listening sessions longer than 30 seconds. However, a small number were accessed more widely, including two podcasts that directed listeners to purchase modafinil, a prescription stimulant, using cryptocurrency like bitcoin.

Despite the large volume of removals, the investigation raised questions about how many Spotify users might have clicked on the hyperlinks embedded in these podcasts. The company admitted it does not track interactions with such links, meaning the true reach of the fraudulent content remains unclear. While Spotify claims it has a process to refer content to law enforcement, the report found that no drug-related podcasts were passed to authorities during the previous year.

Case of Opioidstores.com and Ongoing Concerns

One notable case identified by the investigators in July 2025 was a podcast linked to “opioidstores.com,” a website later seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal agencies. Spotify maintained that this podcast was part of a spam campaign, but the incident has sparked debate about the platform’s ability to flag and address illegal content in real time. “Spotify has a long history of working with law enforcement when content violates the law,” the company told CNN, but it has yet to demonstrate a consistent process for doing so with these specific cases.

The investigation also uncovered a “public playlist” on Spotify in December 2025 that advertised oxycodone online, months after the company had begun collaborating with the Senate committee. This discovery has added to the scrutiny of Spotify’s content moderation practices, particularly its reliance on automated systems to detect violations. While the company asserts that these tools are sufficient, the findings suggest that more comprehensive oversight might be necessary to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Broader Implications for Digital Platforms

Spotify’s situation is part of a larger conversation about the responsibilities of tech giants in policing content that can harm users. As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, the ability of platforms to identify and remove deceptive material is under increasing pressure. Hassan’s report underscores the need for proactive measures, especially in light of the growing threat posed by counterfeit drugs. “The harm caused by these fake podcasts is not just about misdirection—it’s about endangering lives,” she emphasized in a statement.

Spotify’s response to the investigation highlights its efforts to improve, but the scale of the problem raises doubts about its current capabilities. The company’s focus on spam and scams is commendable, yet the lack of tracking for hyperlink interactions and delayed action in some cases have left critics questioning its commitment to user safety. With the rise of AI-driven fraud, platforms like Spotify must continue refining their strategies to ensure that harmful content does not slip through the cracks. The findings of this investigation serve as a reminder that the fight against counterfeit drugs is far from over, and digital spaces remain critical battlegrounds in this ongoing challenge.