Ticketmaster and Live Nation face copyright lawsuit over SafeTix barcode technology

Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation are facing legal action over the use of rotating barcode technology on its SafeTix platform. 

According to Bloomberg, a lawsuit filed by EChanging Barcode LCC claims that the ticketing company has infringed on its patent for a rotating barcodes to stop users fraudulently screenshotting tickets. 

The filing, which was submitted to the federal US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday (October 29), accuses Ticketmaster of ripping off US Patent No. 9,047,715 from inventor Alan Amron, who is reportedly also taking action against Major League Baseball for its similar use of the technology.  

Read this next: Live Nation and Ticketmaster sued by US regulators over alleged monopoly

Last year, Ticketmaster and Live Nation faced an antitrust lawsuit over its use of SafeTix from the US Department of Justice (DOJ), who claimed the technology had been primarily implemented to prevent "competition" from other platforms from reselling tickets, rather than to only prevent fraud. 

Having merged over 15 years ago, the antitrust lawsuit escalated into an attempt to "break up" Ticketmaster and Live Nation, with around 30 states and the DOJ making up plaintiffs claiming that Ticketmaster's control of tickets at around 80% of major venues in the US meant artists felt "forced" to work with Live Nation. 

Support Your Local Club: Shop the Mixmag range here

In May 2025, Live Nation were denied permission to throw the case out of court, with a trial now scheduled for March 2026, Bloomberg reports. 

Ticketmaster and Live Nation have denied any wrongdoing associated with US v. Live Nation Entertainment Inc., 24-cv-03973. 

[Via: Bloomberg] 

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter