The Oregon Department of Justice's Privacy Unit reported a significant increase in the number of complaints concerning the handling of personal data by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during the first quarter of 2025. As of March 31, more than 250 complaints had been lodged against DOGE, highlighting public concern about data privacy.
Rayfield commented on the situation, stating, “The surge in complaints about DOGE underscores a growing public concern about what Elon Musk and President Trump are doing with the private information of millions of Americans.” He further noted that a lawsuit had been filed and was successful in court, resulting in a judge blocking DOGE from accessing Treasury Department information. “We will continue to do what we can to fight for privacy, and make sure DOGE doesn’t sidestep the law,” Rayfield affirmed.
Apart from DOGE-related complaints, the Privacy Unit also dealt with 47 complaints pertaining to the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA) within the same timeframe. The OCPA, which came into effect on July 1, 2024, establishes regulations for businesses regarding the collection of customer information, empowering consumers with greater control over their data. To assist families in safeguarding their data, the unit has released an online toolkit with guidelines for making privacy rights requests.
The Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ) has issued a Six-Month Enforcement Report relating to the initial months following the adoption of the OCPA. Moreover, a 2025 Quarter 1 Enforcement Report has been published, detailing January to March outreach and enforcement activities and identifying privacy trends in the state. The DOJ plans to continue these reports on a quarterly basis, with extended reports every six months.
Starting July 1, 2025, the OCPA will also apply to nonprofits that meet certain thresholds. To aid these organizations in understanding their obligations, the DOJ has prepared FAQs for Nonprofits, complementing the existing guidance for businesses and consumers.
“Oregonians deserve to know their personal information is being respected, whether shopping online or donating to cause they care about,” emphasized Rayfield. “We just want to make sure everyone’s protecting the folks who trust them. Privacy’s not optional anymore. It’s part of doing business.”
Additionally, Oregon has joined a bipartisan group of state Attorneys General and the California Privacy Protection Agency in a consortium aimed at discussing privacy law developments and shared consumer protection priorities across jurisdictions.