Rapper Files Lawsuit Against Spotify Alleging Bot-Driven Stream Manipulation
A German rapper, identified only as “MC B“, has filed a lawsuit against Spotify, claiming the streaming platform failed to adequately protect him from artificially inflated stream counts generated by bots. the legal action, filed in a Berlin court, alleges that fraudulent streaming activity has financially harmed the artist and distorted accurate performance metrics.
The case highlights growing concerns within the music industry regarding the prevalence of bot streams and their impact on royalty payments and artist recognition. While Spotify routinely purges detected fraudulent streams, the rapper contends the platform’s response is insufficient and that the damage has already been done. the lawsuit seeks financial compensation for lost royalties and a court order compelling Spotify to improve its bot detection and prevention measures.The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how streaming services address and mitigate the issue of artificial stream inflation, impacting artists and the integrity of streaming data globally.
According to court documents, MC B noticed anomalies in his streaming data beginning in late 2023, observing a surge in listens originating from suspicious accounts with minimal listening history. He alleges Spotify was notified of the issue but did not take sufficient action to remove the fraudulent streams or prevent further manipulation.
The rapper’s legal team argues that Spotify has a responsibility to ensure the accuracy of its data and protect artists from financial harm caused by fraudulent activity. The lawsuit further claims that the inflated stream counts negatively impacted MC B’s standing in Spotify’s algorithmic playlists, reducing his organic reach and potential audience.
Spotify has not yet publicly commented on the lawsuit. The case is ongoing, and a hearing date has not been set. The original complaint was first reported by German tech news site Heise Online on 2024/11/04.
