Brazil has introduced new concert regulations requiring free drinking water at large events and cracking down on ticket scalping, three years after a Taylor Swift fan died from heat exhaustion at an “Eras Tour” show in Rio de Janeiro.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed two decrees on Monday that have become known as the “Taylor Swift Law,” One requires events with more than 1,000 attendees to provide free drinking water and allows concertgoers to bring their own water containers.
The other targets digital scalping, including the mass purchase of tickets using automated systems. Ticketing platforms must clearly disclose original prices and additional fees, while official ticket transfers must be available at no extra cost.
The regulations come nearly three years after 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado died at Swift’s November 2023 concert in Rio. A forensic report determined that she died from heat exhaustion, with heat exposure leading to cardiorespiratory arrest.
The measures follow years of pressure from organized fan groups. Representatives of fandoms for Swift, BTS, Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, and other artists attended the signing ceremony in Brasília, O Globo reports.
“If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be making this decree,” Lula told the fans at the signing of the decrees.
