News - 16/12/2016

President Obama signs nationwide anti-scalping legislation banning ticket bots

President Obama signs nationwide anti-scalping legislation banning ticket bots

US President Barack Obama just signed into law the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act of 2016, a  new legislation created to allow fans a greater opportunity to purchase tickets at face value when they first go online; indeed, it makes it a federal offense to use computer software to buy tickets online.

The bill, which was passed by the Senate last month and the House last week, defines ticketing bots “an unfair and deceptive practice” in violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act.

According to a statement from the White House Press Secretary, the act “prohibits the circumvention of control measures used by Internet ticket sellers to ensure equitable consumer access to tickets for certain events”.

Ticketing bots are softwares that can gather and buy thousands of tickets within seconds of them going on sale; those same tickets are then being sold for a heavy markup on third-party sites. Those who use such bots, as well as those aware of their use, will now be liable for punishment under the law. According to the bill’s Republican sponsor, Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, the legislation will “level the playing field” for those frequenting ticketing sites.

As part of the signed legislation, the federal government can also intervene and file civil suits on behalf of people who were shut out of purchasing tickets due to scalpers using ticketing bots. It remains to be seen how effective the new legislation will be, but this seems like a win for the average music fan.

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