James Giszczak and Eric Benson author ILN's Data Privacy Guide for Ohio

The International Lawyers Network's (ILN) 2024 Data Privacy Guide offers an overview and insights into data protection regulations across multiple jurisdictions. The guide was developed by the ILN's cybersecurity and data privacy experts and serves as an introduction to these marketplaces.

James Giszczak and Eric Benson, of our national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group,  contributed to this year's section on Ohio law. 

An excerpt from the guide is below.

In recent years, Ohio has made unique and nationally-mirrored efforts toward advancing a goal of protecting the personal data of its residents. In addition to joining other U.S. states in 2005 by requiring companies to notify consumers of breaches of their personal data,[1] Ohio was the first state in the nation in 2018 to enact legislation – the Ohio Data Protection Act (“DPA”) - providing businesses a specific legal incentive to maintain cybersecurity programs for the protection of personal data. A limited number of other jurisdictions, such as Utah, have since taken similar incentive based approaches to rewarding businesses that take specified action toward enhancing their cybersecurity postures and the protection of personal data.

Additionally, in 2021 Ohio joined the ranks of an expanding set of states across the U.S. that have introduced comprehensive consumer data privacy legislation that, if enacted, would fundamentally change the existing privacy landscape by providing Ohioans with newfound rights pertaining to their personal data. If enacted, OPPA would also impose new requirements on covered businesses to comply with specific privacy and cybersecurity related requirements such as the posting of a privacy policy and maintenance of physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect the security of the personal data.

To read the full guide on Ohio privacy law, click here.