A new federal rule aims to ban “junk fees” on hotel accommodations and live-event tickets, a move that could significantly impact consumer spending and the way businesses advertise prices. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates this rule, set to take effect around April of next year, could save consumers a substantial amount of money—$11 billion over a decade—and 53 million hours of time spent hunting for the true final cost of their purchases.
However, this isn’t necessarily a complete victory for consumers. The rule doesn’t actually prohibit the fees themselves; instead, it mandates that these fees be included in the upfront price displayed to the consumer.… Continue reading
A new Massachusetts law grants ticketing companies like Ticketmaster greater control over ticket resales, restricting fans’ ability to transfer tickets to platforms other than the original point of purchase. This measure, included in the state’s Economic Development Bill, aims to curb ticket scalping by limiting the use of bots and other tactics employed by professional brokers. Consumer advocates oppose the law, arguing it harms consumers and inflates prices by forcing resales through the original vendor, often at a reduced value. Ticket resellers, such as StubHub, have criticized the law as anti-competitive.
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Ticketmaster confirms data hack which could affect 560m globally. The mere thought of my private information being out there for cyber-criminals to exploit is unnerving. Ticketmaster, a platform many of us have used to purchase tickets for live events, has fallen victim to a data breach. Our personal data, possibly including payment details, has been compromised. The sheer scale of this breach, affecting millions of individuals worldwide, is alarming. It begs the question: who can we trust with our data anymore?
It is frustrating to see companies like Ticketmaster, who already charge exorbitant service fees for every transaction, skimping on security measures.… Continue reading
Ticket prices for live events have skyrocketed to ridiculous heights, thanks to the illegal monopoly held by Ticketmaster and Live Nation. As a passionate fan of live music, it is disheartening to see the exorbitant fees tacked onto ticket prices, making the experience unaffordable for many. The recent antitrust lawsuit filed by the Justice Department against Ticketmaster and Live Nation is a long-awaited step in the right direction. This lawsuit highlights the monopolistic practices that have fueled the price gouging and diminished competition in the live events industry.
Ticketmaster’s stronghold over ticket sales has created a system where fans are forced to pay unnecessary fees for their tickets.… Continue reading
Matt Underwood 
John Q. Hosedrinker