COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost released the 2026 edition of the state’s public records guidance manual on Monday, warning public officials not to use messaging applications that automatically delete communications.
The manual, known as the “Yellow Book,” is published annually during Sunshine Week, a national observance promoting government transparency held March 15-21. This year’s edition includes a new directive telling officials to “avoid using platforms or applications that automatically delete records,” specifically calling out Signal, WhatsApp, and Snapchat as examples.
“Self-destructing messages are for movie characters, not public officials,” Yost said. “Using disappearing messages will only self-destruct your career and your credibility.”
Under Ohio law, whether a communication qualifies as a public record depends on its content, not the platform used to send it. Automatically deleting messages before they can be reviewed or retained could violate the state’s Public Records Act, the manual says.
In the manual’s introduction, Yost points to a recent Ohio case to illustrate the consequences of secrecy in government. In Ohio v. Wade Steen, et al., two members of the State Teachers Retirement System were found to have conspired over a $65 billion investment through secret communications that circumvented normal public board rules. A judge ruled in February that both had violated their fiduciary duties and barred them from future service on the STRS board.
“Such misconduct undermines public trust and underscores the consequences of secrecy in government,” Yost wrote in the manual.
Yost’s office also offers free Sunshine Laws training through its Public Records Unit. Ohio law requires public officials — or a designated representative — to complete the training at least once per elected term. The Ohio Auditor of State’s Office offers similar sessions, both of which are open to the public.
Sunshine Week was established in 2005 and is observed during the week that includes March 16, the birthday of James Madison, an early advocate for government openness.