Ticketmaster, the world’s largest ticketing platform, is once again in the legal spotlight, facing a fresh class action lawsuit in California that accuses the company of deploying unauthorized surveillance tools on its website. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California on January 5, 2026, and led by Solano County resident Jeffrey Scruggs, alleges that Ticketmaster has been quietly collecting, processing, and monetizing the personal information of its users without their knowledge or consent—potentially violating the California Invasion of Privacy Act.
The complaint paints a picture of a digital landscape where users’ every click and keystroke may be tracked. According to Music Business Worldwide, the lawsuit claims that Ticketmaster employs a web of analytics trackers from major tech companies including Google, Facebook, TikTok, Microsoft Bing, Pinterest, Snap, and Comscore. These trackers, the suit alleges, “collect, receive, and process” a variety of data points such as IP addresses, page URLs, timestamps, and device or browser characteristics. This information, in turn, is used for purposes that go far beyond basic website functionality.
“This tech is used for behavioral profiling, advertising measurement and attribution, personalization, audience segmentation, and identity-linked tracking,” states the complaint, as reported by A Journal of Musical Things. The lawsuit argues that Ticketmaster “deploys these technologies without judicial authorization and without obtaining Plaintiff’s or Class Members’ consent, in violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act.”
For those unfamiliar with the technical jargon, the complaint references the use of so-called “trap and trace devices” and “pen registers.” These are tools that, according to the suit, “collect routing and addressing metadata for commercial purposes”—all allegedly without the knowledge of the user. Under California law, such actions are strictly regulated, and the unauthorized use of these devices can result in significant penalties.
The stakes are high. California law allows for a penalty of $5,000 per violation. With over 100 people already part of the proposed class, the lawsuit estimates that the total matter in controversy exceeds $5 million. And that’s just the starting point; the class action aims to represent all California residents who have accessed Ticketmaster’s website, a potentially vast pool of affected individuals.
The complaint goes further, alleging that Ticketmaster generates revenue through this “surreptitious collection” of users’ personal information. This raises thorny questions about the trade-off between online convenience and personal privacy. How much do consumers really know about what happens to their data when they buy a concert ticket? And is it fair—or even legal—for a ticketing giant to profit from behavioral profiles built on the digital footprints of millions?
“[Ticketmaster] deploys these technologies without judicial authorization and without obtaining Plaintiff’s or Class Members’ consent, in violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act,” the complaint asserts, according to Music Business Worldwide. The lawsuit specifically cites the California Penal Code’s prohibitions on the unauthorized use of “pen registers” and “trap and trace devices,” which are designed to protect consumers from precisely this sort of covert data harvesting.
The legal action comes at a time when Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, are already weathering a barrage of lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny. Just last week, on December 30, 2025, the now-defunct ticketing company Fanimal filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation, accusing them of anticompetitive tactics that allegedly forced Fanimal out of business. And on January 6, 2026, Ticketmaster and Live Nation asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over ticket resales. The FTC’s suit, filed in September, claims that the companies violated the BOTS Act by allowing ticket scalpers to purchase large blocks of tickets during high-demand on-sales.
The legal troubles don’t end there. In 2024, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Ticketmaster and Live Nation, seeking to break up the companies following their 2010 merger. A federal judge denied Live Nation’s motion to dismiss two major parts of that lawsuit in March 2025, and the company has since filed a motion seeking a swift resolution. Meanwhile, consumer frustration has been mounting. Last month, a class action brought by consumers was certified, and another group of plaintiffs—including Taylor Swift fans—survived a dismissal motion in November related to the chaotic Eras Tour presale, according to Music Business Worldwide.
For Ticketmaster, the new California class action is more than just another legal headache—it’s a test of the company’s data practices and its relationship with the public. The suit seeks not only financial damages but also a broader reckoning with the way personal information is gathered and used in the digital age. The potential for $5,000 penalties per violation could add up quickly, especially if more users join the class or if the court finds that the company’s practices were widespread.
This lawsuit also reflects a broader shift in the public’s attitude toward data privacy. In recent years, consumers have become increasingly wary of how their personal information is tracked and monetized online. High-profile scandals involving tech giants have raised awareness about digital surveillance, and lawmakers in California and beyond have responded with tougher privacy regulations. The California Invasion of Privacy Act, cited in the Ticketmaster suit, is just one example of a legal framework designed to give individuals more control over their data.
Industry observers are watching closely to see how the case unfolds. If the court finds in favor of the plaintiffs, it could set a precedent for how companies across the digital economy handle user data. It might also prompt other states to follow California’s lead in cracking down on unauthorized data collection.
For now, Ticketmaster has not publicly commented on the specifics of the lawsuit. But with legal challenges mounting on multiple fronts—from privacy violations to antitrust concerns—the company faces a critical juncture. Will it change its data practices in response to the growing backlash, or will it double down and fight the charges in court?
As the legal battles play out, one thing is clear: the era of unchecked data collection is coming under increasing scrutiny, and companies like Ticketmaster are being forced to answer tough questions about how they treat their users’ most sensitive information.
