Episode Details

Malcolm Todd’s viral hit “Earrings” didn’t just climb Spotify’s charts—it was likely faked by bots, triggering a digital domino effect. A data analyst spotted the impossible surge, prompting Spotify to confirm artificial streams and strip over half a million fake plays, dropping Todd from 1 to 4. Prediction markets like Kalshi, which had already settled bets on the song’s top spot, are now investigating—and even removed Spotify’s logo from related markets. The twist? Todd wasn’t even an option on some platforms’ Spotify charts, casting doubt on manipulation for profit. With no suspects yet and unclear motives, this incident exposes a new frontier in digital fraud: gaming prediction markets through chart manipulation.

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