Brazil Blocks X; Oasis 'Dynamic Pricing' Uproar

by John Still on 3rd Sep 2024 in News

News in Brief: X Blocked in Brazil; Dynamic Pricing to be Investigated after Oasis Fiasco

Our top story today takes us to Brazil, where millions of users have found themselves shut out from one of the world’s most popular social networks, X. The platform, owned by Elon Musk, has been blocked by Brazil's supreme court after Musk refused to comply with local laws. Consequently, about 500,000 users have migrated to the rival network, Bluesky.

The UK government has announced an investigation into "dynamic pricing" practices by ticketing websites. This comes after ticket prices for the highly anticipated Oasis reunion tour skyrocketed during sales, leaving many fans looking back in anger after queuing for hours to definitely, maybe get a ticket. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Labour Cabinet member Lucy Powell have both voiced their concerns.

Finally, in the U.S., 11 million DirecTV subscribers have lost access to Disney-owned networks, including ESPN and ABC, after the satellite TV provider and The Walt Disney Company failed to reach a new distribution deal. The prior deal expired just as we approach the end of the US Open and the start of the NFL season, causing significant disruption for sports fans. DirecTV has accused Disney of refusing to offer smaller, more flexible packages that would cater to the evolving tastes of consumers in the streaming era.