Spotify removed more than 57,000 podcast episodes and thousands of associated accounts after a Senate investigation uncovered content linked to the promotion of illegal drugs, according to a report released by Senator Maggie Hassan’s office.
The report found that over 3,500 accounts were involved in distributing podcast episodes that directed users toward websites selling controlled substances and other drugs.
Spotify disputed claims that the podcasts were directly intended to sell drugs, describing the activity as part of a broader spam operation designed to manipulate search engine rankings and drive traffic to external websites.
Nevertheless, the company removed the content after concerns were raised by lawmakers and investigators.
The report also criticized Spotify for not reporting any of the removed material to law enforcement agencies.
Investigators highlighted cases where podcast episodes linked to websites that were later targeted by federal authorities, including operations involving the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The findings have renewed calls for streaming services to strengthen automated detection systems and adopt more proactive monitoring practices to prevent illegal activity from spreading through digital platforms.
Related Tweet:
Spotify has removed tens of thousands of phony podcasts promoting illegal online pharmacies, a new investigation has found, after reports from CNN and other news outlets exposed the issue last year. https://t.co/BDODmAsEn7 pic.twitter.com/cgRCjA6bUF
— CNN (@CNN) June 11, 2026
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