Eventbrite - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Eventbrite is High Risk.

Eventbrite is High Risk. The company yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. The company implements race and identity-based policies that replace merit, excellence, and integrity with preferential treatment and outcomes. Eventbrite embraces corporate initiatives that redirect its central focus from business goals to partisan policies and divisive issues. This approach fails to safeguard free exercise, free speech, and free enterprise.

Rating Criteria

Corporate Weaponization Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Cancellations	High Risk
Discriminatory Philanthropy	No Data
Employment Protection	Medium Risk

Corporate Weaponization ⓘ

Corporate Governance and Public Policy Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Advocacy Bias	High Risk
Funding	Lower Risk
Political Actions	Lower Risk

Corporate Governance and Public Policy ⓘ

Rating Criteria Detail

Criteria Risk Level Rationale

Corporate Weaponization

Criteria:

Has canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Eventbrite removed Matt Walsh’s “What is a Woman?” event from its platform, stating that the event had violated its terms (1)(2). The company canceled payments for an event with conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza for “spreading misinformation” (3). The company also de-platformed an event held by The American Conservative about COVID-19 vaccines (4). It has also canceled the American Constitutional Rights Union and Women for America First (5)(6). The company canceled its hosting page for another Matt Walsh event at Stanford University on February 27, 2023 (7). The company canceled an event put on by the faith-based Palmetto Family Council featuring notable de-transitioner Chloe Cole for violating its standards on “hateful, violent, and dangerous events” (8). The company denied service to Riley Gaines for an on-campus event in California, saying that this event was not permitted on Eventbrite because “[Eventbrite does] not allow content or events that – through on- or off-platform activity – discriminate against, harass, disparage, threaten, incite violence against, or otherwise target individuals or groups based on their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, immigration status, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, age, or disability” (9)(10). Earlier in 2023, the company removed the page for “Let Women Speak Austin,” an event focused on protecting women’s sex-specific spaces like bathrooms (11).

Criteria:

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

Eventbrite does not publish charitable giving guidelines (1).

Criteria:

Employment policies fail to protect against viewpoint or other discrimination and/or are ideological in nature.

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Eventbrite does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

Uses corporate reputation to support causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Eventbrite promoted protests and rallies for BLM (1). The company advocates for LGBTQ promotion, the #HireBlack initiative, and other DEI causes (2). On Mother’s Day, Founder and CEO Julia Hartz tweeted, “As we honor from who we came today, I’m personally reflecting on the power and privilege of choice. To all the incredible partners lauding their mothers and loved ones today, thank you for joining us in ensuring our daughters will have the power and privilege of choice” (3). The company supported the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would federalize elections (4). Its CEO Julia Hartz is a signatory to CEOs For Gun Safety (5). The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (6). The company is a member of the “Don’t Ban Equality” business coalition, which advocates against any abortion restrictions because they are “bad for business” (7). The company’s Co-Founder & CEO, Julia Hartz, denounced various states’ legislative efforts to protect election integrity and security (8). The company, SVP and General Counsel, Samantha Harnett, co-signed a letter to law firms demanding an improvement in diversity in order to retain business with the company (9). The company signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act (10).