REPORT
WHEN IT COMES TO DIGITAL MARKETS, TRUST CAN’T BE SECONDARY
How the Rise of Digital Secondary Markets for Tickets and Other Goods and Services Threatens to Box Out Consumers, Hike Prices, and Undermine Trust in Broader Markets
Digital secondary markets represent an ever-growing percentage of event ticket sales, short-term rental bookings, and domain name transactions. As such, these online platforms are now critical markets for goods and services. Although they can provide consumers with helpful options that were unavailable just decades ago, they also pose the risk of hindering consumer access and distorting prices due to manipulative actions by brokers and sometimes even the platforms themselves, according to a Digital
Citizens Alliance investigation.
Combatting the Overseas Digital Piracy Threat
Over 50 countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, have adopted forms of site-blocking.
How site-blocking works: A judge would decide whether blocking an overseas website operated by criminals would be justified. If the judge agrees, then the court would order ISPs to block the site.
