Lawmakers hope to crack down on ticket-buying bots
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Federal lawmakers are trying to make it harder for bots to cut in line to buy tickets to the biggest events in entertainment.
Why it matters: If passed, the bill's authors say, it'll be easier for you to snag those Beyoncé or Taylor Swift tickets next time they're in town.
The latest: Democratic Rep. Troy Carter is co-sponsoring new legislation aimed at protecting consumers from online scams and preventing bots from making online ticket purchases.
- If passed, the bill would add teeth to 2016 legislation that sought to prevent scalpers from using software to buy tickets at high volumes.
Between the lines: The bill was originally introduced in the Senate earlier this year by Sen. Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).
- It is a follow-up to Blackburn's Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act, which was signed into law in 2016.
- That legislation gave the Federal Trade Commission a way to crack down on scalpers who use bots. But eight years after the act was passed, the FTC had only used it once.
The new legislation would require online ticket sellers like Ticketmaster to notify the FTC about successful bot attacks, like the ones infamous for targeting Swift's "The Eras Tour."
- It would also create a new consumer complaint database and strengthen security requirements for online platforms. The FTC would also be required to update Congress about BOTS Act enforcement.
- Companies that violate the new law could face fines of up to $10,000 per day.
The big picture: The bill has bipartisan support, along with endorsements from big music industry players like the Recording Academy and Live Nation.
- President Trump also issued an executive order in March directing the FTC to "rigorously enforce" the earlier BOTS Act.