Oregon’s New Privacy Toolkit: Empowering Families Against Data Privacy Threats
The Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) introduced a new toolkit yesterday, on Data Privacy Day, geared towards helping families protect their online information and manage their children’s internet access.
Oregon Data Privacy Toolkit Introduced To Entrench Privacy Rights
Aligning with the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA)- which took effect last July, the DOJ initiative aims to educate Oregonians about their privacy rights online.
OCPA empowers individuals and families to manage their data, including personal information such as home addresses, browsing histories, and health information.
A recent DOJ survey revealed that children’s privacy is Oregonians’ top privacy concern. Although federal protections exist for children under 13, the OCPA provides additional rights for parents and teens.
The OCPA toolkit offers guidance on monitoring, managing, and restricting the collection of children’s information.
The OCPA toolkit also advises on the following:
- How to find out if a business is collecting or using personal data,
- How to ask companies to delete your data,
- Opting out of data sales
- Obtaining a copy of your data
- Getting a list of third parties who have received your personal information
Should businesses fail to respond to requests under the Privacy Act, a complaint can be filed on a DOJ form, available online here.
Since the OCPA’s implementation, the DOJ has received 118 consumer privacy complaints.
The Privacy Unit reviews each complaint and issues violation notices to non-compliant businesses, which have 30 days to comply. Non-profit organizations are expected to be included later this year, and the DOJ is developing additional resources to assist these groups in complying with the law by July 1.
Non-compliance with the Privacy Act could result in penalties of $7,500 per violation and further state action.