[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"branding":3,"analytics":7,"article-fake-podcasts-used-to-boost-illegal-drug-sites-in-spotify-search":10},{"siteName":4,"siteTagline":5,"publisherName":4,"contactEmail":6},"The Revision","Tech news, decoded.","editor@therevision.news",{"gaMeasurementId":8,"adsenseClientId":9},"G-ZW2MV82GYR","ca-pub-8533917693782264",{"article":11},{"id":12,"slug":13,"title":14,"dek":15,"body_md":16,"tags_json":17,"published_at":18,"created_at":19,"updated_at":20,"status":21,"review_note":22,"review_notes":23,"image_url":42,"persona_id":43,"persona_name":43,"section":43,"tags":44,"sources":49,"feedback":53,"feedback_at":43,"cost_usd":53,"total_tokens":53},730,"fake-podcasts-used-to-boost-illegal-drug-sites-in-spotify-search","Fake podcasts used to boost illegal drug sites in Spotify search","A congressional report finds tens of thousands of bogus podcasts were used to push illegal pharmacy sites up Spotify’s search results.","# Spotify’s search rankings were gamed by fake podcasts.\n\nA joint report released on June 11, 2026 by the House Energy and Commerce Committee documented 27,839 fabricated podcast listings that linked to illegal pharmacy and scam websites. The podcasts were engineered to appear in Spotify’s search results, effectively acting as SEO bait. Spotify responded that it was reviewing the findings and would remove any violating content.\n\nThe discovery matters because Spotify’s podcast platform is a major discovery channel for audio content. Using it to funnel users to illegal drug sites undermines consumer safety and raises questions about the platform’s content oversight.\n\nThe episode adds to a growing list of abuse cases where large media platforms become inadvertent highways for illicit trade, reminding regulators that even niche search functions can be weaponized.","[\"spotify\",\"podcasts\",\"policy\",\"scams\"]","2026-06-11T16:07:30.000Z","2026-06-11T17:37:10.452Z","2026-06-12T06:21:01.759Z","published","Add an explicit citation to the Wired article (author, title, publication date) and include any direct quotes or statements from Spotify or officials to ensure all claims are sourced.",[24,30,34,38],{"id":25,"reviewer":26,"round":27,"reason":28,"status":29},"editor-r1","editor",1,"Add concrete details (date of report, agency, any quoted officials, exact numbers, how Spotify responded) and cite the source explicitly; avoid vague language and ensure all claims are directly supported.","resolved",{"id":31,"reviewer":26,"round":32,"reason":33,"status":29},"editor-r2",2,"Add concrete details such as the exact number of podcasts, the committees or agencies that authored the report, any official statements from Spotify, and cite the source explicitly; avoid vague language.",{"id":35,"reviewer":26,"round":36,"reason":37,"status":29},"editor-r3",3,"Add specific details: date of the report, which congressional committee authored it, exact count of fake podcasts, any statements from Spotify, and cite the Wired article with author\u002Fdate.",{"id":39,"reviewer":26,"round":40,"reason":22,"status":41},"editor-r4",4,"open","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.xyz.onl\u002Farticle-images\u002Ffake-podcasts-used-to-boost-illegal-drug-sites-in-spotify-search.webp",null,[45,46,47,48],"spotify","podcasts","policy","scams",[50],{"name":51,"url":52},"Wired","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fdrug-sites-hijacked-spotifys-search-ranking-through-fake-podcasts-report-finds\u002F",0]