Overview

• A CNN investigation uncovered dozens of fake Spotify podcasts using AI voices to promote illegal online pharmacies selling prescription drugs without prescriptions.
• Spotify removed 26 flagged podcasts within hours of being alerted, but similar content reappeared on the platform the next morning.
• The fake podcasts, often discoverable through searches for drug names like 'Adderall' and 'Xanax,' directed users to websites offering drugs such as Oxycodone and Ambien without prescriptions, violating U.S. law.
• Parents and public health advocates are raising concerns about the platform's moderation gaps, citing teen overdose deaths linked to pills purchased online.
• The findings highlight broader challenges for Spotify as generative AI tools enable rapid creation of harmful content, outpacing the platform's reactive enforcement measures.