House Bill Would Criminalize Bot Use That Buys Up Tickets Online, Resells at Premium

Use of computer hacking software or bots that get around security measures of online ticketing sites to buy up mass quantities of tickets and resell them at higher prices would be criminalized under House legislation introduced by Reps. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Paul Tonko, D-N.Y. In a Friday news release, they said the Better Online Ticket Sales (Bots) Act also would make use of bots in this manner an unfair and deceptive practice under the FTC Act. Plus, the bill would create "a private right of action whereby parties harmed by bots can sue in federal court to recover damages," their statement said. The announcement came a day after New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman proposed legislation to bolster the state's ban on using ticket bots (see 1604280040). "The entertainers go to great lengths to build relationships with their fans and ensure that they will have access to shows, but scalpers are decimating this experience," said Blackburn in the statement. "People ... shouldn’t be prohibited from buying a ticket online because a computer program beats them to the punch," added Tonko. Live Nation Entertainment, Pandora-Ticketfly, the Recording Academy and the Tennessee Sports and Entertainment Industry Coalition support the bill, the representatives said.