Your Rights as an Arkansas Resident

As an Arkansas resident, your privacy rights are currently limited compared to residents of states with comprehensive privacy laws. However, you do have some protections:

• Right to data breach notification: Businesses must notify you if your personal information is compromised in a data breach, including details about what information was involved and steps you can take to protect yourself[10][11]
• Right to Attorney General protection: You can file complaints with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division for deceptive practices related to your personal information[3][12]
• Children and teen protections (starting July 2026): If you are under 17, you will have rights to access, delete, and correct personal information collected by certain online services, plus protection from targeted advertising[6][13][9]
• Right to opt out of data sales for minors: Starting in 2026, businesses cannot use personal information of children and teens for targeted advertising without proper consent[7][13]
• Right to parental control: Parents will have rights to access and delete their children’s personal information from covered online services[13][9]

These protections are narrower than comprehensive privacy laws in other states, which typically provide access, deletion, and data portability rights to all adult residents regardless of the type of business or service involved.

Business Requirements

Arkansas businesses currently face limited privacy-specific requirements, though this will expand for certain online services targeting minors in 2026:

• Data breach notification compliance: Any business experiencing a breach affecting Arkansas residents must notify affected individuals promptly and notify the Attorney General if more than 1,000 residents are affected[10][14]
• Children’s privacy compliance (starting July 2026): Online services directed at or knowingly collecting information from children and teens must provide clear notices, obtain appropriate consent, implement data minimization practices, and establish reasonable security measures[6][13][9]
• Prohibited targeted advertising to minors: Beginning in 2026, covered businesses cannot collect or use personal information from children and teens for targeted advertising purposes[7][13][8]
• Consumer request response procedures: Businesses covered by the children’s privacy law must provide mechanisms for users and parents to access, correct, and delete personal information[13][9]
• General consumer protection compliance: All businesses must avoid deceptive practices regarding data collection and use under the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act[2][12]

Practical Impact

• Limited daily privacy protection: Unlike residents in comprehensive privacy law states, Arkansas residents cannot request that most businesses delete their personal information, stop selling their data, or provide detailed information about data collection practices[1]
• Strong breach notification: You will be notified relatively quickly if your personal information is compromised, allowing you to take protective steps such as monitoring credit reports or changing passwords[10][11]
• Enhanced protection for families: Starting in 2026, parents will have significantly more control over their children’s online privacy, with restrictions on targeted advertising and stronger consent requirements[6][13][9]
• Enforcement limitations: Privacy violations can only be addressed through the Attorney General’s office rather than private lawsuits, potentially limiting remedies for individual consumers[6][2]
• Reporting violations: You can file complaints with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division online, by email, or by calling their consumer hotline for privacy-related deceptive practices[3][15][12]

Comparison Context

• Lagging behind privacy leaders: Arkansas lacks the comprehensive privacy rights available to residents of California (CCPA/CPRA), Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), and other states with broad consumer privacy laws that cover access, deletion, data portability, and opt-out rights for all residents[1]
• Leading in children’s privacy: Arkansas will join only a few states in providing enhanced privacy protections specifically for teens aged 13-16, going beyond federal COPPA requirements that only cover children under 13[7][8]
• Active enforcement approach: While lacking comprehensive legislation, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has been notably active in pursuing privacy-related enforcement actions against major companies like General Motors, showing strong consumer protection efforts within existing legal frameworks[2]
• Missing key protections: Arkansas residents cannot exercise rights that have become standard in other states, such as requesting disclosure of what personal information businesses collect, demanding deletion of personal data, or opting out of data sales to third parties[1]

Action Steps for Residents

• Contact your legislators: Advocate for comprehensive privacy legislation by reaching out to your state representatives and senators to express support for future privacy bills similar to the failed SB 258
• Use available federal protections: Take advantage of existing federal privacy tools such as opting out of credit offers, registering with the National Do Not Call Registry, and exercising HIPAA rights for health information
• File complaints when appropriate: Report privacy violations or deceptive data practices to the Arkansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division online, by calling 800-482-8982, or emailing consumer@ArkansasAG.gov[3][12]
• Monitor data breaches: Stay alert for breach notifications and take recommended protective actions such as changing passwords, monitoring credit reports, and considering credit freezes when your information is compromised
• Prepare for children’s protections: If you have children or teens, familiarize yourself with the new privacy rights that will take effect in July 2026 and learn how to exercise parental controls over your children’s online information[6][9]
• Stay informed on future legislation: Monitor Arkansas legislative sessions for new privacy bills and participate in public comment periods when opportunities arise

Official Resources and Contact Information

Arkansas Legislature

Contact your state legislators to advocate for comprehensive privacy legislation. The Arkansas State Capitol is located at 500 Woodlane Street, Little Rock, AR 72201. During legislative sessions (January-April), you can call the House at (501) 682-6211 and the Senate at (501) 682-2902[16]. You can find your specific legislators and their contact information at arkleg.state.ar.us/Legislators[16]. The general Arkansas Legislature website is available at arkleg.state.ar.us[16].

Consumer Protection and Privacy Complaints

The Arkansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division handles privacy-related complaints and deceptive trade practices. You can file a consumer complaint online, email consumer@ArkansasAG.gov, or call their toll-free number at 800-482-8982[3][12]. Their office is located at 101 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, with a main phone number of (501) 682-2007[15]. For data breach notifications specifically, businesses must report breaches affecting more than 1,000 residents to the Attorney General[10][14].

Governor’s Office

You can contact the Governor’s Office regarding privacy legislation at (501) 682-2345[16]. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the Arkansas Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act into law in April 2025[6].

Finding Your Representatives

To locate your specific House representative, visit the Arkansas House of Representatives district map tool at arkansashouse.org/learn/district-map where you can enter your address or zip code to find your representative[17]. The Arkansas House has 100 members representing separate districts statewide[17].

Legislative Research and Bill Tracking

The Bureau of Legislative Research provides nonpartisan services to all General Assembly members and can provide information about current and proposed legislation. While they do not conduct research for private individuals, you can track privacy-related bills through the legislative process[18].

Sources and Citations

Last Updated August 2025. Written with contributions from both human authors and Perplexity AI. If you find incorrect or outdated information let us know at support@optery.com.