Spotify Confirms Unauthorized Scraping After Activist Group Claims Massive Data Extraction

Spotify has confirmed that unauthorized scraping activity took place on its platform after a pirate activist group claimed it accessed tens of millions of tracks and large amounts of metadata.

The group, known as Anna’s Archive, published a blog post stating it scraped around 256 million rows of track metadata and gained access to 86 million audio files from Spotify. According to the group, the data was prepared for distribution through peer-to-peer torrent networks, with the total archive estimated to reach nearly 300 terabytes.

Spotify responded quickly, saying it had identified and disabled the user accounts involved in the unlawful activity. In an official statement, a company spokesperson explained that a third party scraped public metadata and used illegal methods to bypass digital rights management systems in order to access some audio files.

“We’ve implemented new safeguards for these types of anti-copyright attacks and are actively monitoring for suspicious behavior”, Spotify said. The company also emphasized its long-standing position against piracy and its commitment to protecting artists and rights holders.

As of the latest update, Spotify believes that only metadata has been released publicly, not the audio files themselves. The investigation is still ongoing.

The situation has sparked discussion within the tech and music industries. Some observers, including startup founders working with AI and media tools, have pointed out that such a data leak could theoretically allow individuals to build private streaming libraries using personal servers, although copyright law remains a major legal barrier.

Spotify hosts more than 100 million tracks, meaning the numbers claimed by Anna’s Archive do not represent its full catalog. Still, experts note that the scale of the alleged scrape could exceed existing open music databases, such as MusicBrainz, which contains around five million unique tracks.

Anna’s Archive, previously known for sharing links to pirated books and academic papers, described the Spotify scrape as part of its mission to “preserve humanity’s knowledge and culture”. The group framed the project as an attempt to create a long-term music preservation archive.

The incident highlights growing tensions between streaming platforms, piracy groups, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, where access to large music datasets has become increasingly valuable. As investigations continue, the case raises fresh questions about digital security, copyright enforcement, and how music is protected in the age of data-driven technology.