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Google warned to stop hosting ads for Viagogo amid consumer law probe

Lottie Casas September 10, 2018

Google warned to stop hosting ads for ticket resale site Viagogo amid consumer law probe

Google warned to stop hosting ads for Viagogo amid concerns the ticket resale site breaks consumer laws 

  • Viagogo is the subject of legal action by the Consumer and Markets Authority 
  • It allows the buying and selling of tickets for major sporting and music events 
  • MPs, sporting bodies and UK Music have urged Google to pull adverts for the site

Google has been urged to stop accepting adverts from the secondary ticket website Viagogo amid claims it breaks the law.

MPs, and bodies including the Rugby Football Union, the Football Association and UK Music have warned the search giant not to promote the site.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has brought legal action against the firm following its own investigation into Viagogo’s business practices.  

Google has insisted it will abide by any rulings made by a parliamentary inquiry into live music and the secondary ticketing industry.

Google has been urged to stop accepting adverts from the secondary ticket website Viagogo amid claims it breaks the law (file image of Google’s London headquarters)

Viagogo (pictured today) offers a market place for people to sell on tickers for high profile events but there are claims it breaks consumer law 

The letter to Google claims Viagogo’s prominence in search results due to advertising could be leading consumers to buy tickets for live events that may be invalid or at marked-up prices when face value tickets were still on sale elsewhere.

‘In effect, one of the world’s most trusted brands – Google – is being paid to actively promote one of the least trusted,’ it said.

A Google spokeswoman said: ‘The CMA has been looking at the business practices of ticket resellers.


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‘We await the conclusion of these inquiries and we hope that they will clarify the rules in the interests of consumers. We will abide by the rulings of these enquiries and local law.

Culture committee chairman Damian Collins  (file image) has warned consumers against using the site, calling it ‘not a reputable company’

‘In February, we updated our policies to ensure that resellers cannot claim to be official providers of tickets and that they must be transparent about their price, fees and taxes before requiring payment.’

Last week the company was criticised by the chairman of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) select committee for not attending an inquiry hearing into the firm’s conduct and the live music sector.

Damian Collins warned consumers against using the site, calling it ‘not a reputable company’.

His response came after Viagogo confirmed in a letter to Mr Collins that its head of business development and sales, Christopher Miller, would not make a scheduled appearance to face questions from MPs on his firm’s conduct, citing legal advice.

As well as contesting the case with the CMA, Viagogo has also launched its own legal action against promotor Kilimanjaro Live, which it alleges invalidated thousands of resold tickets for Ed Sheeran’s 2018 UK arena tour.

Kilimanjaro Live chief executive Stuart Galbraith called the action ‘ludicrous’.

In a statement, Viagogo said: ‘All tickets listed on Viagogo are valid. It is perfectly legal to resell a ticket if you want to. Any promoter trying to cancel a genuine ticket is not acting in the interests of fans.’

 

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