Spotify, one of the world’s largest audio streaming platforms, has found itself at the center of a growing controversy after it was forced to take down hundreds of fake podcasts promoting the illegal sale of prescription drugs. These phony podcasts weren’t just violating Spotify’s own policies—they may also have run afoul of U.S. federal laws governing the distribution of controlled substances.
The issue came to light after Business Insider revealed that roughly 200 podcasts had been removed from Spotify after they were found to be marketing opioids and other medications like Xanax and Adderall. But the story didn’t end there. A deeper investigation by CNN uncovered even more bogus podcasts still live on the platform, showing just how widespread the problem had become.
Red Flags Everywhere—But No Immediate Action
Many of these podcasts had blatantly suspicious titles—names like “My Adderall Store” and “Xtrapharma.com” that would likely raise eyebrows for any human reviewer. Their episodes carried titles such as “Order Codeine Online Safe Pharmacy Louisiana” and “Order Xanax 2 mg Online Big Deal On Christmas Season.” Despite this, Spotify’s automated moderation tools failed to catch and remove a large number of them.
Some of these episodes remained online for weeks or even months before they were taken down. Their content was minimal—often under a minute long, sometimes just 10 seconds, and occasionally silent altogether. In many cases, the podcasts contained nothing more than a synthetic voice reading promotional text or a link directing users to external websites that may have been selling drugs illegally.
AI Tools Make Scams Easier to Create
The rise of artificial intelligence is partly to blame. New tools that can generate speech from text or replicate human-like voices have made it incredibly easy to churn out fake audio content in bulk. Scammers can now create dozens, even hundreds, of podcast episodes in minutes using AI, bypassing moderation systems that aren’t equipped to catch this kind of abuse.
While neither CNN nor Business Insider could confirm whether drugs were actually being sold through the websites linked in these fake podcasts, the intent to promote illicit sales was clear. The real danger, however, lies in the reach these podcasts might have had before they were taken down.
Spotify’s Moderation System Under the Microscope
The incident has highlighted Spotify’s vulnerabilities when it comes to moderating user-generated content. Unlike text or images, audio is significantly harder to scan and review at scale. Katie Paul, head of the Tech Transparency Project, told CNN that audio platforms like Spotify have a “bigger blind spot” than their video or social media counterparts, simply because voice-based content is harder to detect and filter.
Spotify, like many tech platforms, is protected under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields it from legal responsibility for user-generated content. While this legal shield helps platforms operate at scale, critics argue it also allows them to sidestep responsibility when dangerous content slips through the cracks.
A Dangerous Discovery Amid Public Health Concerns
The timing of this scandal couldn’t be worse. In recent years, the U.S. has been battling an escalating opioid crisis, with many overdose deaths tied to drugs purchased online. CNN pointed out that several teenagers have lost their lives after consuming pills bought through websites, prompting increased scrutiny of tech platforms and their role in enabling these transactions.
The Trump administration even implemented steep tariffs as part of a broader effort to stop the flood of illicit drugs into the country—declaring the issue a national emergency. The presence of illegal drug promotions on a high-profile platform like Spotify adds fuel to the ongoing debate over tech companies’ accountability.
Search Results Show Dangerous Exposure
Perhaps more alarming is how easily users could stumble upon these podcasts. According to CNN, many of the episodes were appearing at the top of search results for prescription drugs on Spotify. For someone looking for medical information or health-related content, clicking on these fake episodes could lead them straight to potentially dangerous or illegal sites.
It’s still unclear how many people actually listened to or interacted with the fraudulent podcasts, but their visibility in search results indicates a serious flaw in Spotify’s algorithmic ranking systems.
Spotify Responds, But Concerns Remain
Spotify has since responded by removing all the podcasts identified by Business Insider and CNN. A company spokesperson confirmed that the content was deemed either spam or illegal and violated Spotify’s terms. However, they were vague about what the platform would do to prevent similar content from resurfacing.
“We are constantly working to detect and remove violating content across our service,” the spokesperson said. But experts argue that without more proactive and robust moderation efforts, these kinds of scams are likely to return.
