SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – Attorney General Sean D. Reyes joined a letter, which was led by the State of South Carolina, to Eventbrite over concerns of censorship of an event hosted by a conservative family advocacy group.
The coalition of States sent the letter after learning that the online event reservation company “deplatformed” an upcoming fundraiser hosted by the Palmetto Family Council on November 6, featuring Chloe Cole, a “detransitioned” woman, who discusses the “irreversible harm of mutilating minors.” Eventbrite took action based on a decision that the event ran afoul of its policy on “Hateful, Dangerous, or Violent Content and Events,” which appears to follow a pattern with similar circumstances. These attorneys general are now seeking answers from Eventbrite to determine whether the company has violated any consumer protection laws in any of their states.
As the attorneys general write in their letter, “Eventbrite finds itself among the ranks of Big Tech. In the first 9 months of 2022 alone, Eventbrite sold 84 million tickets for various events through its online platform. The scope of Eventbrite’s reach means that an abundance of speakers and performers, as well as tens of millions of consumers, rely on Eventbrite for distribution of and access to various messages. That is why it’s so concerning that Eventbrite appears to be using its power and influence to silence those with whom it disagrees.”
Utah and South Carolina were joined by the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
