Spotify's fake podcasts advertising prescription drugs sales online: How the issue surfaced and what we know so far
A CNN investigation has exposed a troubling loophole on Spotify, revealing that dozens of podcasts masquerading as legitimate shows were actually promoting illegal online pharmacies. These fake podcasts, found through searches like 'Adderall' and 'Xanax,' often featured generic or AI-generated voices pushing prescription drugs like Oxycodone, Vicodin, Methadone, and Ambien — frequently advertising 'FDA-approved delivery without prescription,' which is illegal under US law.
Some podcast titles left little to the imagination — 'My Adderall Store,' 'Order Xanax 2 mg Online Big Deal On Christmas Season,' and 'Xtrapharma.com' — with links in episode descriptions pointing to questionable pharmacy websites.
CNN's review found at least seven drug-pushing podcasts in the first 100 results when searching for 'Adderall,' and as many as 20 in the first 60 when searching 'Xanax.' These pages had existed for months in some cases and were easily discoverable on Spotify's platform.
Even after the issue was flagged, CNN was able to find new fake podcasts cropping up. In some cases, shows like 'Adderall 10 mg blue pills' disappeared only after CNN engaged with them — suggesting reactive rather than proactive enforcement.
After CNN said it provided Spotify with a list of 26 offending podcasts that were live as of a Thursday afternoon, the company acted within hours to remove them. However, new ones were spotted on the platform the very next morning.
'We are constantly working to detect and remove violating content across our service,' a Spotify spokesperson told CNN, acknowledging that the removed podcasts violated their rules, which ban illegal and spam content.
Spotify allows open podcast publishing but enforces rules that prohibit hate speech, sexually explicit content, illegal material, and spam. Its creator guidelines also forbid content made solely to promote a product or service — particularly when such content leads users to harmful or unlawful services.
The company claims to use both automated tools and human moderators to identify rule violations. Despite those efforts, online safety experts argue Spotify's current systems are insufficient.
The situation has sparked fresh concerns about the role of tech platforms in preventing illicit drug sales — especially as AI tools make it easier to mass-produce spammy or dangerous content. Advocates and parents have called for stricter safeguards, citing recent teen overdose deaths from pills purchased online.
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