Fines report
The fines report helps users track information about penalties issued for violations related to artificially inflated streams.
You can find it, like other reports, on the Financial Statements and Sale Reports pages under the title “Fines Report”.
What are these fines?
In spring 2024, Spotify officially notified all distributors about a new system for combating fraud traffic, which involves issuing fines for stream manipulation. This update applies to all partners of the platform — with no exceptions.
Spotify charges the distributor a fine for artificial streaming, and the distributor, in turn, bills the client according to the terms of the distribution agreement.
Spotify does not disclose the exact algorithms used to detect artificial streaming — this is part of their internal fraud analytics system. It’s only known that the decisions are based on large-scale behavioral data analysis.
We are working on our own fraud detection system to proactively remove tracks with suspicious traffic before any fines are issued.
Can fines be appealed?
Unfortunately, there is no appeal process for fines.
How are fines calculated?
- The report reflects the previous month: for example, the October report includes fines for tracks that were flagged for artificial streaming in September.
- Retroactive application: the fine system has been active since Q2 2024 and applies to violations starting from that period. This may result in a negative balance.
How to avoid fines?
- Use only legitimate promotion methods: avoid services that offer artificial stream boosting.
- Regularly review your reports: monitor which of your tracks may be flagged, and take timely action.
- Plan your budget with possible sanctions in mind: when working with stores, always consider the possibility of fines for violations.