Question
There is a huge row brewing in the UK over sales of tickets to the Live 8 concert re the upcoming G8 Summit and Africa. These tickets were won in a massive telephone texting operation and now some of the lucky winners are selling their tickets on eBay for hundreds of UK pounds. Bob Geldof, who is the main force behind Live 8, has slammed the site's actions in refusing to pull these auctions as "electronic pimping". Auction spoilers are out in force putting in enormous sham bids to wreck these auctions. Do a search of eBay UK for Live 8 tickets and you will see plenty of these. Now a government minister has joined in calls for eBay to pull these auctions which are perfectly legal under UK law. What do you think??????
Someone pointed out that if you won, say, a flowery china teapot in a charity raffle and hated it, no-one would really blame you if you stuck it on eBay...........
Answer
Yesterday on the evening BBC News I saw the eBay.UK representative that stated ALL auctions of these tickets were suspended and any auctions that were completed - eBay.UK was donating what little money they made on the transaction to the Charity.
The reason given was that these tickets were distributed for those that wished to attend by an organization. That organization during it's "contest" stated that the tickets were awarded for those wishing to be part of the concert and were not to be used by a third party or sold. Thus the auctions violated that condition and eBay.UK cancelled all online auctions for these tickets.
Those wishing to attend could always see what is offered outside the concert by these alleged "scalpers".
Answer
These auctions are perfectly legal under the law here but eBay has caved in to pressure and pulled them after Bob Geldorf was all over the media inciting people to wreck the auctions, to boycott the site, to quit if they work for eBay and even to hack eBay. This is what has got up a lot of people's noses I think - that he should incite people into possibly illegal acts that would impact on a lot of non-involved bystanders too. This concert is NOT a charity concert - it is supposed to be a "political" concert to put pressure on the G8 leaders. Causing a real stink over here and the sad thing is that Geldof is getting far more publicity than the cause he is meant to be supporting. Live Aid in the 80s was quite a joyous occasion, this one is turning into a bit of a stinker.
Me ???? I would pay NOT to go