How We Handle Your Personal Information
ohioauditors.org/ takes data protection seriously. This page sets out what we collect from you as a visitor, why, and the rights you have under federal and state privacy laws — including a clear note about how Ohio public-record property data published by county auditors fits in.
What’s on this page
- Who we are
- Scope of this policy
- Information we collect
- Public records carve-out
- FCRA — we are not a CRA
- How we collect it
- Why we collect it
- Who we share with
- “Sale” and “sharing”
- Cookies and analytics
- Retention
- Ohio data and breach notification
- Other state privacy rights
- How to exercise rights
- Children — COPPA
- Security
- International visitors
- Changes to this policy
1. Who We Are
ohioauditors.org/ is an independent educational and informational guide that publishes practical, step-by-step guides to Ohio's 88 county auditors, the Ohio Auditor of State, the Ohio Department of Taxation, and related Ohio offices. We are the business and the controller for the personal information described on this page.
For any privacy-related question, contact us at info@ohioauditors.org with the subject line “Privacy request” and we will respond within the time limits set out below.
2. Scope of This Policy — Important
This privacy policy covers personal information about you, the visitor to ohioauditors.org/. It does not cover the public-record property data, parcel records, owner names, valuations, or other information published by Ohio county auditors on their official portals — that is held and published by each county under Ohio law. We do not host, mirror, or republish county auditor parcel databases. Concerns about a specific county auditor’s published record should be raised with that county auditor’s office, not with us.
3. The Personal Information We Collect About You
| Category | Examples | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | Email address, name (if provided), IP address | You · Your browser, automatically |
| Contact content | The content of messages you send us | You — when you email us or use a contact form |
| Internet/network activity | Pages visited, time on page, click paths, referring URL | Cookies and analytics, when you consent |
| Device and technical data | Browser, device type, OS, approximate location from IP | Your browser, automatically |
| Inferences | Aggregate inferences about which content is most useful | Derived from analytics, where consented |
| Advertising identifiers | Identifiers used to limit ad frequency and measure ad performance | Third-party advertising networks, when you consent |
We do not collect Sensitive Personal Information — no Social Security numbers, government identification numbers, financial accounts, precise geolocation, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, union membership, contents of mail/email/text, genetic data, biometric data, sex-life or sexual-orientation data, or specific health information about you. We do not ask for it and you should not send it through our contact channel.
4. Ohio Public Records — Property and Parcel Data
Ohio's public-records law (ORC §149.43) makes most county auditor records — parcel data, property valuations, owner names, tax bills, GIS information, weights-and-measures inspection results, vendor's-license rosters, and dog-license issuance — public records subject to inspection and copying by any person. These records are published by each county auditor on the county's own portal. ohioauditors.org/ does not host or republish those records; we link to the county's own portal.
If you are concerned about a specific record published by a county auditor — for example, your own property record showing the wrong owner, a valuation you dispute, or a personally-identifying detail you believe should be redacted — contact that county auditor’s office directly. The county is the records custodian under ORC §149.43 and handles record-correction requests.
5. We Are Not a Consumer Reporting Agency Under the FCRA
ohioauditors.org/ is not a Consumer Reporting Agency as defined by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. §1681 et seq. We do not assemble or evaluate consumer information for the purpose of furnishing Consumer Reports. The site is an educational guide to Ohio county auditor portals; the actual property and license data is published by the counties themselves.
Property and license information from this site (or from any county auditor portal we link to) must not be used to make decisions about employment eligibility, tenant screening, consumer credit, insurance underwriting, or any other “permissible purpose” listed in 15 U.S.C. §1681b. For uses that require an FCRA-compliant Consumer Report, you must use a properly-credentialed Consumer Reporting Agency.
6. How We Collect Personal Information
- Directly from you — when you email us, complete a contact form, or set cookie preferences.
- Automatically — when you visit the site, your browser sends standard technical information so the page can load.
- From third-party services we use — analytics and advertising providers, but only after you have given consent through our cookie banner.
7. Business Purposes for Collection and Use
- Providing the website and its content
- Responding to questions, corrections, and feedback
- Securing the site and protecting against abuse, fraud, and unauthorized access
- Auditing interactions and measuring site performance (analytics, where consented)
- Supporting display advertising that funds the site (where consented)
- Complying with legal obligations and responding to lawful requests
We do not use personal information for automated decision-making with legal or similarly significant effects, and do not engage in profiling within the meaning of state privacy laws.
9. “Sale” and “Sharing” of Personal Information
We do not sell personal information for money. However, under CCPA/CPRA the term “sale” is broad, and use of certain advertising cookies may meet the CCPA/CPRA definition of “sharing for cross-context behavioral advertising.” Where that applies, you have the right to opt out — see Section 13 for state-by-state procedures.
The site honors the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal as a valid opt-out of “sale” and “sharing” under CCPA/CPRA, the Colorado Privacy Act, the Connecticut Data Privacy Act, and similar laws that recognize universal opt-out mechanisms.
10. Cookies, Analytics, and Advertising
For full detail — including the cookies used, third-party services, and how to manage them — see our Cookie Policy. Key controls: the cookie banner, the “Cookie settings” link in the footer, browser-level controls, and industry opt-outs (NAI, DAA).
11. How Long We Keep Personal Information
| Category | Retention |
|---|---|
| Email correspondence and contact-form messages | Up to 24 months from last contact, then deleted unless an active matter requires longer retention |
| Server access logs (IP addresses, request data) | Up to 90 days, then aggregated or deleted |
| Analytics data | Aggregated; identifiable data retained no longer than 14 months |
| Cookie consent records | 12 months from when you set your preference |
| Backups | Rotating backups deleted on a 30–90 day cycle |
12. Ohio Data and Breach Notification
Ohio does not currently have a comprehensive consumer-privacy statute analogous to California’s CCPA, Texas’s TDPSA, or Florida’s FDBR. Ohio has data-breach notification requirements under ORC §1349.19, which requires businesses to notify Ohio residents whose personal information was acquired without authorization in a security breach. If we become aware of a breach involving the personal information of an Ohio resident, we will notify affected individuals and applicable authorities consistent with ORC §1349.19 and any other applicable state breach-notification laws.
Ohio also has the Ohio Data Protection Act (ORC Chapter 1354), which provides a safe harbor for businesses that implement and maintain a written cybersecurity program reasonably conforming to recognized frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF, ISO 27001).
13. Other U.S. State Privacy Rights
Although Ohio does not currently have a comprehensive state privacy law, ohioauditors.org/ is accessible from across the U.S. Visitors from states with comprehensive privacy laws have rights under those laws:
| State | Law |
|---|---|
| California | CCPA / CPRA — access, delete, correct, opt out of sale/sharing, limit use of sensitive PI |
| Texas | Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA) |
| Florida | Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBR) |
| Virginia | Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) |
| Colorado | Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) — recognizes Universal Opt-Out Mechanisms |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA) |
| Utah, Oregon, Montana, Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, NJ, NH, KY, MN, MD, RI, DE | Comprehensive state privacy laws (effective dates vary) |
Right to access
Confirm processing and access your personal data.
Right to correct
Correct inaccuracies in your personal data.
Right to delete
Delete personal data we hold, subject to legal exceptions.
Right to portability
Obtain a copy in a portable, technically feasible format.
Right to opt out
Opt out of targeted advertising, sale, and decision-making profiling.
Right to non-discrimination
You will not be denied service or charged more for exercising these rights.
14. How to Exercise Your Rights
For all privacy requests, email info@ohioauditors.org with subject line “[State] privacy request.” Include enough information for us to identify the data you’re asking about. We may need to verify your identity before responding — most commonly by confirming you control the email address that submitted the request. We respond within the period required by the applicable law (typically 45 days, with possible extensions).
15. Children — COPPA Compliance
This site is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. We comply with the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), 15 U.S.C. §§6501–6506, and its implementing regulations at 16 C.F.R. Part 312. If we learn we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will delete it promptly.
16. Security
We apply technical and organizational measures appropriate to the risk: encryption of data in transit (HTTPS across the site), access controls on administrative tools, regular software updates, secure authentication for our editorial team, and contractual security commitments from vendors. If we become aware of a breach involving your personal information, we will notify you and applicable authorities consistent with Ohio breach-notification law (ORC §1349.19) and similar laws in other states.
17. International Visitors (GDPR / UK GDPR)
The site is operated for an Ohio and U.S. audience but is accessible globally. EU and UK visitors have rights under the EU GDPR and UK GDPR — access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, and objection. UK residents may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.
18. Changes to This Policy
We update this policy when our practices change or when state privacy laws change. The “Last reviewed” date at the top reflects the current version. Substantive changes will be flagged on the homepage banner for at least 30 days. This policy is read alongside our Cookie Policy, Terms of Service, and Disclaimer.
Questions About Your Personal Information?
Email us. We respond to general privacy questions within seven business days, and to formal state-law requests within the deadline set by the applicable law.
📧 info@ohioauditors.org