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Podcast: The Peoples Voice Podcast
Episode: Ticketmastered: Bots, Fees & the FTC Showdown
Description: Automated “ticket-bot” programs have been a persistent problem in the live-event industry, using scripts and fake accounts to grab large numbers of high-demand tickets the moment they go on sale. These tickets are then resold at inflated prices, shutting everyday fans out. In September 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), along with a group of state attorneys general, filed a major lawsuit against Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster. The lawsuit claims that rather than stopping these practices, the companies enabled them—letting ticket brokers bypass purchase limits, offering tools like “TradeDesk” to help resell tickets, and profiting from fees at multiple st...