'Taylor Swift' bills take aim at ticket bots that are blamed for sky high prices
Taylor Swift bills tackle ticket bots
The legislation is seen as a win for consumers because it protects everyday fans from automated ticket bots that buy up large blocks of tickets before real people ever get a chance. That’s why there’s a reference to one of the biggest pop stars in the world.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Michigan lawmakers are taking aim at the ticket bots many fans blame for sold-out shows and sky-high resale prices. A bipartisan package known as the "Taylor Swift bills" would crack down on automated software that scoops up tickets in bulk.
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The legislation is seen as a win for consumers because it protects everyday fans from automated ticket bots that buy up large blocks of tickets before real people ever get a chance. That’s why there’s a reference to one of the biggest pop stars in the world.
Her last tour, the Eras Tour, was the highest-grossing ever, earning about $2.08 billion in ticket sales worldwide across almost 150 shows and drawing roughly 10 million fans.
"People deserve the opportunity to come at fair rates. Buying tickets up and then kind of scabbing, that’s what they call it," said Joye Pascall. "I think that’s unfair to the general public. Everybody’s got to make a living."
By limiting artificial scarcity, the bills are designed to keep ticket prices closer to face value and curb extreme resale markups. They would give Michigan its own enforcement authority rather than relying on limited federal action, empowering the attorney general to pursue bad actors directly and impose meaningful penalties, including fines of up to $5,000 per illegally obtained ticket.
State Rep. Mike Harris addressed concerns about overlapping enforcement.
"If it’s mostly external, outside of the country, why not let the feds handle it? Is it redundant?" Harris said. "Obviously, when you get to the federal system, it’s convoluted, it’s large, and it’s hard to guarantee they’ll take action in Michigan. That’s what our attorney general is for. There’s a huge consumer protection piece here, and I think the Senate and the House both agree we want to empower the AG to take action in the state. Michigan doesn’t see the benefit of fines and costs if those types of things aren’t enforced here."
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Supporters also point to the broader significance. The bills would modernize state law for a digital marketplace, respond to a highly visible and frustrating problem highlighted by the Taylor Swift ticketing fiasco, and demonstrate rare bipartisan cooperation around a straightforward consumer protection issue.