AB 2007: New Player Privacy Requirements for 2027 – What Cal North Clubs Need to Know 🛡️

Protecting Our Players. Respecting Parental Choice. Preparing for 2027.

As we look ahead to 2027, Cal North wants to bring an important new California law to the attention of all Member Organizations, club presidents, registrars, directors of coaching, administrators, and families.

California Assembly Bill 2007 (AB 2007) establishes new requirements for youth organizations regarding the public use of children's photographs, videos, likenesses, and other identifying information.

This legislation represents an important step toward protecting the privacy and safety of young athletes while ensuring parents and guardians have a meaningful say in how their children's information is shared.

Cal North is already working to update our registration processes, develop resources for Member Clubs, and coordinate with GotSport to help our membership prepare for 2027.

1. What Is AB 2007?

AB 2007, signed into law on September 30, 2026, establishes requirements for covered youth organizations that use children's identifying information in publicly accessible materials.

This includes:

• Photos and videos of players
• Social media posts and promotional materials
• Club websites and online publications
• Audio recordings and player likenesses
• Other identifying information shared publicly

Most importantly, parents and guardians must provide express written consent before covered organizations publicly use their child's identifying information.

The law also makes clear that a child's participation in youth sports cannot be conditioned upon granting that consent.

A parent can decline permission for public photographs or other covered uses, and their child must still be allowed to participate.

Consent must be collected separately from general registration documents and liability waivers. Parents must also have a process for revoking consent.

2. What Is Cal North Doing to Prepare?

Cal North is updating our Form 1601 registration process to incorporate parental media consent requirements for 2027.

However, it's important to understand that Cal North and our Member Clubs each have their own responsibilities when it comes to collecting and tracking parental consent for public media use.

Cal North will collect consent for our own use of player photographs, videos, and other identifying information. Member Clubs will need to establish their own consent collection and tracking processes for media published by their organizations.

For Clubs Using GotSport

Member Clubs utilizing GotSport should create their own SEPARATE Media Consent Form within their player registration programs each season.

This is important because clubs need to be able to directly view and track which families have granted or declined permission for the public use of their child's images and identifying information.

By creating a separate consent form within your club's GotSport player registration program, your organization can:

• Collect parental consent electronically during registration.
• Track consent responses for each player within your own program.
• Identify players whose parents have declined media consent.
• Provide authorized club administrators with access to consent records.
• Establish an internal process for reviewing consent before publishing photographs, videos, or promotional materials.

Why not simply use Cal North's consent form?

Cal North will also collect media consent through our own registration process. However, if consent is collected exclusively through Cal North's forms, Member Clubs may not have direct visibility into individual responses.

That's why we recommend clubs create and manage their own separate consent forms within GotSport.

For Clubs NOT Using GotSport

Clubs that do not use GotSport for player registration will need to:

1. Continue collecting Cal North Form 1601 for every registered player each season.
2. Create their own separate Media Consent Form, which parents or guardians will complete during registration.
3. Maintain records of parental consent decisions so club administrators can verify which players may appear in publicly shared media.

To help clubs get started, Cal North will provide a sample Media Consent Form in PDF format that organizations can copy and customize for their own use.

VIEW CAL NORTH SAMPLE MEDIA CONSENT FORM – PDF 📋

Clubs should tailor the form to their own organization, including their club name, media practices, contact information, and applicable consent language.

What About Cal North's Own Consent Forms?

Cal North will maintain a separate media consent component alongside our Form 1601 registration process, available through both GotSport and PDF registration materials.

This will allow Cal North to independently collect and maintain parental consent records for photographs, videos, and other identifying information used in our own communications, including our website, social media, tournaments, and promotional materials.

The important distinction:

• Cal North collects consent for Cal North's media use.
• Member Clubs collect consent for their own media use.
• Each organization is responsible for maintaining and respecting the consent preferences applicable to its activities.

Our goal is to provide a consistent framework while ensuring Member Clubs have direct access to the information they need to manage their own compliance.

Important: AB 2007 requires media consent to be presented separately from enrollment forms and liability waivers. Even when included within the same overall registration workflow, media consent must remain a distinct document or online page.

3. What Does This Mean for Member Clubs?

This is where we need our Member Organizations to pay particularly close attention.

Clubs will need a reliable process for tracking which players have parental consent for public media use and which players do not.

That means understanding consent status before publishing photographs, videos, team announcements, or promotional materials featuring identifiable players.

Consider This Example

A club posts a team photo featuring 15 players. Four of those players have not received parental permission for public image use.

Even if the remaining 11 families provided consent, the club could face a compliance issue by publicly sharing the photograph containing those four players.

Cal North's recommended precaution: If even one player on a team has not provided consent, do not publish group or team photos containing that player.

When a club cannot confidently verify consent for everyone pictured, the safest operational approach is to refrain from posting the image altogether.

This may mean choosing not to publish team photos at all unless the club has confirmed that every identifiable player in the photograph has the necessary consent.

Clubs may also consider selecting different photographs that feature only players whose parents have provided the appropriate consent.

We recognize that sharing photos of our players celebrating, competing, and enjoying soccer is an important part of promoting our clubs.

However, player safety and parental choice must come first.

What About Parents Taking Photos?

Parents regularly take photographs and videos of their children at practices, games, and tournaments.

The challenge arises when those images are uploaded to public-facing platforms, particularly when they include other children whose parents have not granted consent.

Clubs should begin evaluating how photographs and videos are shared through official club accounts, team apps, and other communication platforms.

Cal North is continuing to evaluate these questions and will provide additional guidance as we work through the implications of the legislation.

4. Team Apps, GotSport Live & Social Media – An Emerging Concern

Another significant concern involves the technology platforms used throughout youth soccer.

Many clubs utilize team management applications, social media pages, and platforms such as GotSport Live, where coaches, parents, and other users may be able to upload photographs and videos of players.

These platforms can function similarly to social media networks, allowing users to share content beyond the club's immediate administrative control.

Why Is This a Concern?

Cal North has identified potential privacy concerns involving publicly accessible player photographs within GotSport Live.

During an internal test, Cal North staff observed that photographs could be viewed without following a team or receiving approval to access its content, even when the team required approval for followers.

This raises important questions about how player privacy preferences are being enforced across these platforms.

For example:

• Can a parent upload a photo containing players who have not consented to public image use?
• Are photographs visible to individuals who are not approved team followers?
• Do privacy settings within a player's GotSport account apply across the Team App, GotSport Live, and Rankings pages?
• Can a parent revoke consent and have that preference reflected consistently across these platforms?
• Who is responsible for reviewing and removing publicly shared images that may conflict with parental consent preferences?
• Can individuals outside a team's approved administrative structure access player photographs or identifying information?

What Is Cal North Doing About It?

Cal North has already contacted GotSport and requested that its teams review these concerns.

We are specifically seeking clarification regarding:

• Public versus private access to player information
• Parental consent settings across GotSport platforms
• Access controls for parents, coaches, administrators, and other users
• Safeguards against unauthorized public sharing
• Processes for removing content when parental consent has not been provided or has been revoked

We recognize that this may be one of the more complicated aspects of implementing AB 2007, particularly because these platforms serve organizations nationally and may not have been designed around California-specific requirements.

We will share additional information with our membership as we receive clarification from GotSport.

In the meantime, we strongly encourage clubs to review how their own social media accounts and team management applications are being used.

5. How Will Clubs Track Parental Consent?

Tracking parental consent will be the responsibility of each Member Club.

While Cal North will collect consent for our own media purposes, clubs must have a reliable way to determine which players have permission to appear in publicly shared club photographs, videos, and other media.

Recommended Consent Tracking Workflow

✅ Step 1: Create Your Club's Media Consent Form

If you use GotSport, create a separate media consent form within your club's player registration program.

If you do not use GotSport, create a separate PDF media consent form using Cal North's sample as a reference.

✅ Step 2: Collect Consent During Registration

Parents and guardians should have the opportunity to expressly grant or decline media consent.

A player cannot be denied registration or participation because their parent or guardian declines media consent.

Clubs should collect updated consent information each season as part of their registration procedures.

✅ Step 3: Track Consent Within Your Club

Club administrators should maintain an accurate record of each player's consent status.

For GotSport users, this information should be collected through your club's own registration program so your administrators can access and review responses.

For non-GotSport users, clubs will need to establish their own secure recordkeeping process.

Only authorized personnel who need access to these records should be able to review them.

✅ Step 4: Verify Consent Before Publishing

Before sharing photographs or videos on your club's website, social media pages, or other public platforms, verify that every identifiable player appearing in the content has the necessary consent.

Cal North's recommendation: If a player has not provided consent, do not publish team or group photographs containing that player.

If consent cannot be verified for everyone pictured, refrain from publishing the image.

✅ Step 5: Communicate With Coaches & Team Managers

Ensure anyone responsible for club social media, photography, team communications, or promotional content understands the importance of verifying parental consent before posting.

Consider identifying one or more authorized club administrators who are responsible for reviewing media content before publication.

✅ Step 6: Manage Consent Changes

Establish a process for parents to withdraw consent and ensure those changes are communicated to the appropriate club personnel.

Clubs should also have a process for reviewing and addressing previously published content when a parent revokes consent, consistent with applicable legal requirements.

Important Reminder

Collecting consent does not automatically guarantee compliance.

Clubs must also ensure those decisions are respected when publishing content through social media, websites, GotSport Live, team apps, and other platforms.

Cal North has already contacted GotSport regarding privacy settings and publicly accessible player images. We will continue sharing updates as we learn more about the safeguards available within their platforms.

6. Can a Player Still Participate if Their Parent Declines Consent?

YES. Absolutely.

AB 2007 specifically prohibits covered youth organizations from making participation contingent upon parental permission to publicly use a child's identifying information.

A player whose parent declines media consent must still be able to:

• Register for their club or league
• Participate in practices
• Compete in games and tournaments
• Attend team activities and events
• Receive the same opportunities as other registered players

Declining public image consent does not mean a player is ineligible to participate.

Clubs must respect the family's decision and adjust their public communications practices accordingly.

This is a critical distinction that all club administrators, coaches, and team managers should understand.

The right to participate and the decision to consent to public media use are two separate matters.

7. What Should Clubs Do Now?

As we prepare for 2027, Cal North encourages every Member Organization to begin reviewing its existing registration and media practices.

Our Immediate Recommendations

• GotSport Clubs: Prepare to create a separate Media Consent Form within your player registration program for each season.
• Non-GotSport Clubs: Prepare to create a customized PDF Media Consent Form using Cal North's sample document.
• All Clubs: Continue collecting Cal North Form 1601 for every registered player each season.
• Consent Tracking: Establish a reliable process for identifying which players have granted or declined public media consent.
• Social Media: Review who has permission to publish photos and videos on behalf of your organization.
• Team Apps: Review how player images and information are shared through third-party platforms.
• Education: Communicate these expectations to coaches, team managers, registrars, and administrators.
• Consent Revocation: Ensure parents have a clear method to withdraw consent and that those requests are properly documented.

A Note About Registration Forms

Please understand that a general registration waiver or a preselected consent checkbox is not a substitute for the express written consent required by AB 2007.

Media consent must be voluntary, affirmative, and separate from other registration documents.

Remember: A parent's decision not to consent to public media use cannot affect their child's eligibility or ability to participate in youth soccer.

Cal North will continue providing resources, sample documents, and guidance to help our Member Organizations prepare for these changes.

More Information Coming Soon

Cal North is actively preparing our updated registration documents, working with GotSport, and evaluating additional guidance for Member Organizations.

We recognize that these changes will require coordination between clubs, administrators, coaches, parents, and technology providers.

Our goal is to make compliance as straightforward as possible while continuing to prioritize the safety, privacy, and experience of every young athlete.

What's Coming Next?

Cal North will continue working on:

• Updated Form 1601 registration materials
• A separate Cal North Media Consent Form for GotSport and PDF registration workflows
• A sample PDF Media Consent Form that clubs can customize
• Additional guidance for clubs creating their own consent forms in GotSport
• Clarification from GotSport regarding team apps, GotSport Live, and player privacy settings
• Additional FAQs and implementation resources for Member Organizations

We will continue providing updates through the Cal North Membership Blog as we approach 2027.

In the meantime, we strongly encourage club leadership to review the legislation and begin discussing how these requirements may affect your organization.

Legislative Reference

Read AB 2007 – Official Chaptered Legislation

Thank you for your continued commitment to providing a safe, positive, and player-centered environment for youth soccer throughout Northern California.

Cal North Membership Team

Supporting Our Members. Protecting Our Players. Strengthening Our Game.