Ohio among top five worst states for children’s online safety, study finds

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio ranks among the least safe states for children using the internet, according to a recent study.

Cloudwards, a software review website, analyzed data on all 50 states and the District of Columbia in four categories: the prevalence of online safety threats and crimes, cyberbullying, online safety legislation and mental health support. 

Data was gathered from sources such as the Internet Crime Complaint Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Cyberbullying Research Center. 

Overall, Ohio ranked as the fifth-least safe state in the country for children using the internet. The state placed as the 13th worst for online crimes and threats against children, the ninth worst for the number of kids reporting they have been bullied or bullied someone else online, the 18th worst for the amount of laws related to social media and the seventh worst for mental health support. 

The worst state for children’s online safety was Oregon, followed by California, New Hampshire and Alaska. The safest states for minors using the web are Utah, Hawaii, New Jersey, North Dakota and Connecticut, according to the study.