Spotify has removed tens of thousands of podcast episodes and accounts involved in promoting illegal drugs, including opioids, following pressure from a U.S. congressional investigation.
According to details shared with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), the platform took down more than 57,000 episodes, along with over 3,000 shows and 3,500 accounts through November 2025. The content was part of a spam operation designed to drive traffic to external drug-selling websites rather than direct sales on Spotify itself.
Hassan’s office raised the issue last year after identifying podcasts linking to sites later targeted by law enforcement, including the DEA. One flagged episode contained a direct link to such a site. Critics noted Spotify’s response took months despite repeated correspondence, and the company did not report the removed content to authorities.
Spotify maintains it began addressing the problem in May 2025 as soon as it became aware of the scale. A spokesperson described the removals as part of ongoing 24/7 efforts to enforce platform guidelines against illegal content.
The senator emphasized the broader risks: “As criminals use AI to perpetuate scams and other dangerous actions faster and in larger quantities, all online platforms need to step up, protect their users, and enforce comprehensive strategies to remove illegal content.” She highlighted potential harm to users, from fentanyl-laced substances to financial scams.
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