Taylor Swift and Michiganders Propose New Law to Battle Ticket Scalping
![Taylor swift act cracks down on ticket resellers and bots](https://totalapexentertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_1461-300x300.jpeg)
In response to the resentment that automated bots are driving up concert ticket tariffs, Michigan lawmakers introduced new legislation on Wednesday to crack down on ticket scalping. The bills target self-operating software programs that obtain a large quota of tickets to put up for sale at inflated prices, often wreaking havoc on the ticket-buying procedure for popular events.
The proposed law mirrors recent laws passed in Arizona following a questionable matter with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, where bots took hold of tickets before fans had a chance to purchase or get their tickets. These “Taylor Swift” laws directly stop the exploitation of self-operating software programs in ticket sales and ensure a fair-minded dispensation of tickets to the general public.
Addressing Unfair Ticket Practices with Taylor Swift
The State spokesperson, Filler Graham, a Republican, and spokesman Mike McFall, a Democrat from Hazel Park, co-sponsored the legislation. Filler said that while federal laws exist to stop this practice, they are infrequently implemented, leading to extensive abuse of self-operating bots in ticket sales.
He also aims to make Michigan an uninviting territory for these exercises, stating, “I’m trying to make Michigan a really unattractive state for these bots to do business. It’s unfair to people. It’s anti-competitive, anti-capitalist, it’s anti-consumer.”
Taylor Swift’s idolization outlined the issues when her June 9, 2023, Eras Tour concert at Detroit’s Ford Field saw tickets being bucketed up by self-automated bots and resold at excessively high prices. The new legislation strongly opposes self-automated bot software from creating numerous email addresses, IP addresses, or accounts to surpass ticket limits for any concerts. This includes events, theater performances, sporting events, and exhibitions open to the public.
Enforcing the Law with Higher Fines
The Forward Event Online Ticket Sales Act would also put a stop to the use of software that halts a ticket seller’s guarantee estimate or find a way around waiting periods, electronic queues, lines, or other systems created to limit ticket sales capacity. Infringement of these laws would be punishable by civil fines of up to $5,000 per ticket, with implementation by the Michigan attorney general. This is a major step up from the preceding legislation, where infringements could result in a 93-day criminal act and/or a $1,000 fine.
In 1931, a ban on ticket vanquishment in Michigan was introduced, which was rescinded with the new laws. The 2020 repeal, which took almost six years to perfect, allowed ticket resale but still placed an embargo on using ticketing self-operating bot software. The newly proposed legislation elevates the enforcement power by authorizing civil action and imposing higher fines to dissuade bad actors.
Ensuring Fair Access to Tickets.
Rep. McFall points out the significance of this legislation in a recent statement, saying, “Michiganders are tired of these scalping bots who purchase and hoard tickets for resale, often pricing them out of reach for many hardworking families.” This dynamic approach by Michigan lawmakers sets out to protect fans and ensure they have a fair opportunity to buy tickets for their best-loved events without falling victim to price scoop out and unfair enactment.
Companies like Ticketmaster and SeatGeeks devote greater translucency, known as “upfront” pricing of a ticket’s cost with fees from the first point of sale. At a White House event last summer, President Joe Biden announced his effort to bring down what he called “junk fees” obtruded by ticket companies, banks, airlines, and others.
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