Is Ticketmaster's Mobile app policy ageist?

MaggieJ100

If I'm understanding it right, I can no longer print out a ticket/QR code etc. to access many concerts via Ticketmaster/See Tickets etc. Has anyone found a way round this? Trying everything to speak to someone (also trying venue box offices to see if I can get tickets direct through them) but have so far only managed to lodge a request via online contact form and may need to wait a week for a reply.
OK, so I know the solution is to get a smartphone. But it's a personal choice to do with my mental well-being that I stick to a burner phone. Mental health aside, 45% of over-65s do not have smartphones (Statista June 2021) so surely this relatively new policy of entry by Mobile App only is ageist and therefore illegal? I don't know if I can get their Mobile App on my laptop - I haven't tried as I wouldn't want to take my laptop to a gig.
Thanks for any thoughts/advice.

[Deleted User]

No, it's not ageist and certainly not illegal.

Over 65s have been permitted to own smartphones for some time now, so there is nothing to stop them using the service.  

Aylesbury_Duck

No, it's not directly discriminatory nor illegal.  Over-65s are at liberty to get a smartphone, as it seems that more than half have done. They (Ticketmaster) are simply reducing their potential audience, which is a perfectly lawful business decision.  

MattMattMattUK

MaggieJ100 said:

If I'm understanding it right, I can no longer print out a ticket/QR code etc. to access many concerts via Ticketmaster/See Tickets etc. Has anyone found a way round this? Trying everything to speak to someone (also trying venue box offices to see if I can get tickets direct through them) but have so far only managed to lodge a request via online contact form and may need to wait a week for a reply.
OK, so I know the solution is to get a smartphone. But it's a personal choice to do with my mental well-being that I stick to a burner phone. Mental health aside, 45% of over-65s do not have smartphones (Statista June 2021) so surely this relatively new policy of entry by Mobile App only is ageist and therefore illegal? I don't know if I can get their Mobile App on my laptop - I haven't tried as I wouldn't want to take my laptop to a gig.
Thanks for any thoughts/advice.

I doubt it is ageist or illegal. 

Also are you sure "burner phone" means what you think it means? That is the term for an unregistered, pre-paid phone which is disposed of every few weeks/every time the owner has committed a crime using that phone's number. 

MarvinDay

MaggieJ100 said:

OK, so I know the solution is to get a smartphone. But it's a personal choice to do with my mental well-being that I stick to a burner phone. Mental health aside, 45% of over-65s do not have smartphones (Statista June 2021) so surely this relatively new policy of entry by Mobile App only is ageist and therefore illegal?

If 45% of over 65's don't have a smartphone, this must mean that the majority of people in that age group do have such a phone so their policy can't be ageist.

jimbo6977

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/age-discrimination

Indirect discrimination happens when an organisation has a particular policy or way of working that applies to everyone but which puts people of your age group at a disadvantage. For example:

• you are 22 and you find you are not eligible to be promoted because your employer has a policy that only workers with a post graduate qualification (such as a Masters) can be promoted. Although this applies to everyone it disadvantages people of your age because they are less likely to have that qualification  
• an optician allows customers to pay for their glasses by instalments, provided they are in employment. This could indirectly discriminate against older people, who are less likely to be working

Like direct age discrimination, indirect age discrimination can be permitted if the organisation or employer is able to show that there is a good reason for the policy. This is known as objective justification.

MaggieJ100

MattMattMattUK said:

Also are you sure "burner phone" means what you think it means? That is the term for an unregistered, pre-paid phone which is disposed of every few weeks/every time the owner has committed a crime using that phone's number. 

Haha, sorry, I won't joke next time  

Thanks everyone for your feedback, I hadn't thought of it like this. So presumably it's a No to 'has anyone found a way round this'?

user1977

I'm sure if you look at smartphone ownership by other demographics (sex/race/religion etc) you'll find discrepancies too, but it doesn't mean it's unlawful discrimination on those grounds either.

The only protected characteristic likely to be relevant is disability (if you actually had a disability which made it difficult to use the app, and they weren't making reasonable adjustments for you).

MaggieJ100

SOLUTION
Alexandra Palace have informed me that if I use See Tickets rather than Ticketmaster, I will get a ticket reference from which they can arrange box office collection. 
I've learnt a lot today...