Spotify hunts down 200 fake podcasts that advertised drugs

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Spotify has been dealing with a serious problem involving fake podcasts on its platform. 

These podcasts weren’t real shows but were actually scams designed to trick people into buying prescription drugs illegally.

News outlets CNN and Business Insider discovered around 200 of these fake podcasts. Most of them were very short, less than a minute long, and didn’t offer real content. 

Instead, they acted like advertisements, directing listeners to websites that claimed to sell prescription drugs like Tramadol, Oxycodone, Vicodin, and Adderall without requiring a prescription.

One example CNN found was a podcast called My Adderall Store, which included a link to a website selling powerful and potentially addictive medications. 

Shockingly, these types of fake podcasts were showing up among the top 50 search results on Spotify, making them easy for anyone to find.

Although Spotify has removed many of these fake shows, CNN reported that dozens of them were still available, and some had been online for months. 

The content usually featured robotic voices quickly promoting the drugs and directing listeners to click on links to buy them.

In response to the situation, Spotify said it is actively working to detect and remove this kind of harmful content. (Via: Digital Trends)

The company reminded the public that while it aims to be a platform where all voices can be heard, there are still rules that must be followed.

Spotify has clear guidelines stating that users are not allowed to share content that promotes the sale of illegal or regulated products, including drugs. These fake drug-selling podcasts clearly violated those rules.

This incident has raised serious concerns about how easily harmful and illegal content can slip through the cracks on major platforms. It also highlights the need for better monitoring to protect users from scams and potentially dangerous websites. 

Spotify’s cleanup effort is ongoing, but the situation shows how online platforms must stay vigilant to keep their services safe.

What do you think about Spotify’s action against fake podcasts? Should it be more difficult to get onto Spotify to begin with? We want to hear your thoughts below in the comments, or via our Twitter or Facebook.