Spotify Hosted Fake Podcasts Selling Prescription Drugs

Spotify is facing backlash after hundreds of fake podcasts promoted illegal drug sales, raising concerns about AI abuse and lax platform moderation.

Spotify is facing criticism because it hosted numerous fake podcasts which advertise prescription drugs without medical authorization.

Business Insider (BI) and CNN investigations revealed that these so-called podcasts were little more than 10-second audio clips, or even remained silent, while potentially serving as fronts for illegal online pharmacies.

The content blatantly broke Spotify’s own rules and, in some cases, violated federal law. One podcast claimed, “Buy tramadol online in just one click […] without a prescription with legal delivery in the USA,” as reported by BI.  CNN notes that others had titles like “My Adderall Store” and promoted opioids like Oxycodone and Vicodin.

The platform took down more than 200 of these pages following both Business Insider’s reporting and social media user reports. CNN discovered additional live podcasts persisted after some of them had been taken down. The Spotify spokesperson explained to CNN and BI that the company maintains continuous efforts to identify and eliminate violating content throughout its service.

Experts say the rise of AI tools has made it easier than ever to create these scam podcasts. Many used robotic voices or just cover art with clickable links, bypassing Spotify’s automated moderation systems. According to CNN, some had been active for months before removal.

Katie Paul from the Tech Transparency Project warned that “most platforms lack accountability for user-generated content like these fake podcasts,” adding that voice-based content is especially hard to moderate.

The fake shows directed users to websites which promised to deliver Adderall and Methadone without prescriptions, yet, neither BI nor CNN could verify successful purchases. The law establishes that prescription medications must be dispensed by authorized medical practitioners.

The incident has sparked new demands for enhanced monitoring because families and officials worry about the rising threat of online counterfeit drug sales following recent teen overdose deaths from internet-bought pills.