This App Stole Ventura & L.A. Student Data for Prom & FootballTickets

A major digital privacy scandal has hit schools across Ventura and Los Angeles Counties after state regulators uncovered a predatory data collection scheme targeting minors. 

On March 16, 2026, the California Department of Justice and the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) announced a $1.1 million settlement with PlayOn! Sports, the parent company of the popular digital ticketing platform GoFan. 

The settlement follows a rigorous investigation into how the app effectively coerced students into surrendering their sensitive personal information in exchange for access to essential high school experiences like proms, graduation ceremonies, and football games.

The investigation revealed that GoFan utilized what privacy advocates call a "forced consent" model. 

Students at over 1,400 California schools found themselves in a position where they could not access their digital tickets unless they agreed to comprehensive tracking. 

Once the app was installed, it began harvesting data including precise geolocation, device identifiers, and browsing history. 

This information was not used for school security or event logistics but was instead sold to third party brokers for targeted advertising. 

Regulators found that the company failed to provide an "opt-out" mechanism that was clear or functional for minors, a direct violation of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Age-Appropriate Design Code.

The impact was felt heavily in local districts such as the Ventura Unified School District and several Los Angeles Unified (LAUSD) high schools, where physical tickets have been almost entirely phased out in favor of GoFan’s digital system. 

This shift left students with zero alternative entry methods, forcing them to become "profit margins" for advertisers just to participate in their own school community. 

While the $1.1 million fine is significant, it also mandates that PlayOn! Sports delete all illegally obtained data from California minors and implement a "privacy by design" framework that forbids the sale of student data moving forward. 

Legal experts suggest this case sets a critical precedent for how educational technology companies must handle the data of children in a world where "paperless" systems are becoming the mandatory standard.