Backlash prompts Eventbrite to drop demand to crash events, record them

The new (and now rolled-back) Eventbrite Merchant Agreement terms, grabbed this weekend before they were rescinded.

Earlier this month, executives at Eventbrite-the popular Internet event-ticketing platform used by thousands of event organizers, including many information security conferences-made a change in the company's "Merchant Agreement" that many missed until this past week. That change added a section to the agreement entitled "Permission You Grant Us to Film and Record Your Events," asserted broad rights over the content of events that use Eventbrite for ticketing. As word spread this past weekend about the changes, many event organizers reacted with shock to the terms and began scrambling to find alternatives to the Eventbrite platform. Facing a backlash to the new language, Eventbrite pulled the section from the Agreement's text on Sunday afternoon.

The new terms asserted that Eventbrite staff had the right to "enter and remain" at any event organized with the platform, record the entirety of the event with video and photography-including setup and break-down of the event-and retain copyright over everything recorded. The language would have required event organizers to assure Eventbrite was afforded copyright over all the content of the event "for any purpose."

"You are responsible for obtaining, at your own cost, all third party permissions, clearances, and licenses necessary to secure Eventbrite the permissions and rights described above," the terms stated.

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