Google Comes Under Fire After Lifting Viagogo Advertising Ban

The head of Live Performance Australia has questioned Google today for allowing controversial online ticket resale platform Viagogo to resume advertising on the search engine. 

LPA's Chief Executive Evelyn Richardson has released a statement today, calling for Google to clarify why a ban that prevented Viagogo from appearing at the top of search engine results when users searched for concert tickets appears to have been lifted.

The ban was instated in July this year, with the ABC citing that it came "following years of complaints from fans and artists about inflated prices and misleading claims". 

It was reported yesterday by Mumbrella yesterday that the resale platform was once again showing at the top of search results. This remains the case today.

“Our industry has been calling out Viagogo for its misleading practices for some time now, and it has also been subject to Federal Court action by the ACCC,” said Richardson.

“In April this year, the Federal Court found that Viagogo had made false or misleading representations and engaged in conduct liable to mislead the public when reselling entertainment, music and live sport event tickets. And, yet, only months later it is back in action on Google.

“I have today written to Google’s Australia and New Zealand managing director, Melanie Silva, seeking an urgent clarification of the commitments that have been given by Viagogo around its business practices and how these conform with the standards Google expects of its advertisers."

This comes just weeks after FOMO Festival encouraged punters to call out anyone selling tickets to US artist Lizzo's Melbourne show via resale sites.

The Music has reached out to Viagogo for comment.