DATA PRIVACY WEEK

DATA PRIVACY WEEK

by | Dec 10, 2025 | Blog

Data Privacy Week in Ohio: Why It Matters — and What You Can Do

by Dan Starcher, Communications Coordinator for Wayne County

WAYNE COUNTY, Ohio, Dec. 10, 2025–Every January, communities and organizations nationwide observe Data Privacy Week — a time to reflect on how we manage, protect, and respect personal information in our increasingly digital lives. In Ohio, the Attorney General’s Office uses this week to highlight practical privacy advice and remind residents of the importance of vigilance.

What is Data Privacy Week

Data Privacy Week is an annual initiative — a time for individuals and organizations to raise awareness around online privacy and data protection. As the Attorney General’s Office explains, the goal is twofold: to help people realize they have control over their personal data, and to encourage businesses and institutions to treat users’ data with the care and respect it deserves.

Though officially observed over a short span each January, the underlying message is perennial: personal data deserves protection all year long.

Why It Matters in Ohio

In a world where digital services — from social media to banking, shopping to schoolwork — touch nearly every part of daily life, data privacy is not just a nicety. It’s essential for protecting identity, financial well-being, and personal security. As the Attorney General’s Office notes, unsafe data habits can pave the way for identity theft, fraud, and other abuses.

Moreover, the volume of data collected by apps, websites, and services has grown dramatically. Many ask permission to access sensitive information — location, contacts, photos, even device-level data — often in exchange for free or low-cost services. That convenience comes with a responsibility: consumers must carefully weigh whether the tradeoff is worth it.

Ohio Attorney General’s Privacy Recommendations

To help Ohioans protect themselves, the Attorney General’s Office offers a straightforward set of actionable recommendations.

Here are some top tips that will help safeguard your data:

  • Use strong, unique passwords.
  • Enable two-factor or multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible. This adds an extra layer of security even if a password is compromised.
  • Be cautious with suspicious communications. Don’t give out personal information to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly — whether by phone, email, or text. If you suspect fraud, verify the identity of the caller or sender through legitimate, trusted channels.
  • Review privacy settings and permissions. Whether on social media, apps, or browsers, adjust privacy settings to control what data is shared — and periodically revisit those settings.
  • Think carefully about convenience vs. privacy. Some apps or services request permissions that may not be essential. Ask yourself whether granting access is really necessary for the service you want.
  • Dispose of devices responsibly. Even small devices — USB drives, memory cards, old phones — can contain personal data. Before discarding or giving them away, wipe or destroy them securely.

What You Can Do — Beyond Data Privacy Week

Observing Data Privacy Week is a useful reminder, but good data hygiene practices should extend far beyond one week. Here are some proactive steps:

Audit your digital footprint: review which apps and services you use, and what permissions you granted.

Use tools designed for privacy: password managers, privacy-focused browsers, or virtual private networks (VPNs) — when appropriate.

Educate yourself and family members about phishing, scams, and data safety best practices.

Stay informed about evolving data laws and consumer protections.

Final Thought

Data Privacy Week offers an important moment for Ohioans to pause, reflect, and recommit to protecting personal information — but more importantly, it serves as a prompt to build lasting habits. As digital tools continue to evolve, so too must our approach to privacy.

By following guidance from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and integrating smart security practices into daily life, every Ohioan can play a part in safeguarding their data — today and every day.

PROTECTING YOUTH: OAG SUES META

PROTECTING YOUTH: OAG SUES META

by | Oct 24, 2023 | Blog

COLUMBUS, OH, Oct. 24, 2023 — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and 32 of his colleagues filed a federal lawsuit today against Meta alleging that the social-media technology giant designed and deployed harmful features for Facebook and Instagram to addict young users to its platforms and enhance its bottom line.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims that Meta, instead of working to mitigate the damage inflicted by its social-mediA mobile phone with platforms, publicly concealed the severity of the psychological harm they cause, including addiction to the platforms, which could, and in some cases did, result in physical harm.

In related complaints filed today in state courts, eight other attorneys general made similar allegations. Florida is filing its own federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The federal and state lawsuits stem from a bipartisan investigation of Meta.

“Given that children, when they’re on these platforms, become vulnerable to cyberbullying and online predators, Meta has added insult to injury, further injuring our children,” Yost said. “I trust that the parents within Meta itself might reconsider these practices, but, until then, initiating lawsuits should compel the company to change its ways.”

The federal lawsuit asserts that Meta violated state consumer protection laws by assuring the public that the platforms are safe and suitable for young users. Yet the company’s practices harmed and continue to harm the mental and physical health of teenagers and pre-teens, the suit maintains, fueling what the U.S. Surgeon General has called a “youth mental health crisis [PDF],” which has prompted suicides, devastated families, and damaged a generation of young people.

The complaint further alleges that Meta violated federal law – specifically, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act – when the company, aware that users younger than 13 were actively on its platforms, collected data from those users without parental consent. Meta targeted these youngest users after identifying them as a “valuable but untapped” base, as reported in a 2021 Wall Street Journal [PDF] article.

Although much of the lawsuit relies on confidential material not yet available to the public, some publicly available sources – including disclosures from former Meta employees – detail how the company deliberately sought to gain financially by addicting teens and tweens to its platforms.

Meta’s platform algorithms, the lawsuit says, push users into descending “rabbit holes,” with the objective of keeping users on the platform for long periods. Meta also allegedly used features such as infinite scroll and near-constant alerts in a concerted effort to hold young users’ attention. Such manipulative tactics entice teens and tweens to continually return to the platforms. Instead of disclosing the harm and making meaningful changes to minimize it, Meta publicly advertised their platforms as safe for young users.

The attorneys general also allege that the platforms served harmful content – including material associated with eating disorders, violence, negative self-perception and body-image issues, and bullying – to young users.

The lawsuit seeks injunctive and monetary relief caused by Meta’s platforms.

Joining Yost in the federal filing are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Filing lawsuits in their respective state courts are the attorneys general of the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont.