Ohio AG states that public servants shouldn’t utilize messaging apps that use “vanishing chats” for official business.

In the 2026 edition of the Ohio Sunshine Laws guidebook, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost stated that public servants shouldn’t utilize messaging apps that use “vanishing chats” for official business. According to Yost’s manual, often known as the “Yellow Book,” apps like Signal, WhatsApp, and Snapchat that automatically delete messages may be in violation of the Public Records Act. After a predetermined amount of time or after being viewed, disappearing messages-which can contain text, pictures, and videos-automatically vanish from the recipient’s device and servers.