Google suspends ticket site Viagogo from advertising

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Google has suspended Viagogo as an advertiser, after claims touts resell tickets at inflated costs on the site.

The Competition and Market Authority is taking the ticketing web site to court docket, alleging it has not carried out sufficient to vary its enterprise practices.

It says it’s “working with the CMA”.

Last yr, the Football Association, the commerce physique UK Music and a few MPs signed an open letter to senior Google executives, urging it to cease Viagogo from advertising.

In a press release on Wednesday, Google stated: “When individuals use our platform for assist in buying tickets, we wish to ensure that they’ve an expertise they’ll belief.

“This is why now we have strict insurance policies and take needed motion once we discover an advertiser in breach.”

BBC News has contacted Viagogo for remark.

The CMA initially launched authorized motion in opposition to Viagogo in August final yr, over considerations it was breaking consumer-protection regulation.

As a outcome, a court docket ordered the corporate to overtake the best way it did enterprise, together with telling consumers:

• which seat they might get
• if there was a threat they might be turned away on the door

Now, the CMA alleges that Viagogo is ignoring its calls for to make modifications and plans to launch authorized proceedings for contempt of court docket.

It claims Viagogo continues to be giving:

• deceptive ticket-availability messages
• incomplete addresses of companies promoting tickets
• inadequate warning tickets with resale restrictions might not enable entry

If present in contempt, the corporate may face excessive fines.

FanFair Alliance, a music business marketing campaign group, stated: “We are delighted Google has finally acted and suspended Viagogo’s advertising. We now hope other platforms, particularly Facebook, can follow its example.”