Spotify App quota extension request keeps getting rejected

[cs31415-dev]

Plan: Premium

Country: US

I am calling the /artists/?ids= API to get artist info.
I display the artist image and a link to their Spotify profile using the following img tag on my site with the data referenced below directly coming from the API response with no modification (see attached image for visual):

<a href="{{this.external_urls.spotify}}" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="{{this.images.[2].url}}">   {{this.name}}</a>

I keep getting back this response from Spotify when I submit my app for quota extension. I have asked them to elaborate, but haven't heard back. Scratching my head as to how I am violating this policy and what I can do to adhere to it. Appreciate any help. 

• Modifies any Spotify visual content, e.g. cropping album artwork, overlaying images on album artwork, placing their brand/logo on album artwork. (Please present artist images in its original format. You may only use the artwork provided by Spotify.).