The Privacy Policy is not a concept that is new to anyone conversant with using some websites and applications but if not, the concept of privacy itself is as old as time. Considering how technology is advancing, the collection and processing of data have become very crucial to businesses in the world today.
Privacy Policy
Before proceeding, it is important to lay the foundation of data- What is a person’s data? This is simply personal information like a person’s name, phone number, email, nationality or credit information etc or any information that holds a person’s identity. Knowing this, one would agree that the above are quite delicate and there needs to be a proof or policy that protects one before handing out such. Therefore, the Privacy Policy is a legal statement that shows an agreement between a site and its user and explains how a user’s data will be collected, handled, processed, and used and how such data would be protected.
You might be wondering why a site would collect users’ data- it is important for a feedback-oriented design that allows a business owner to implement changes to the site or system and also for customer tracking to create a more personalized experience. Because of data collection using cookies or other tracking technologies, it is easier to align to users’ preferences and needs. A privacy policy is also required by third-party services and applications such as Google Analytics, Amazon, or any other application that stores cookies on the user’s PC to collect such user’s data. Asides from the above, a user’s privacy is important and it builds trust if a user has their personal information strongly protected.
What Is The Need Of A Privacy Policy?
It is important for any business, application, or site that would collect its user’s data to have a privacy policy. This could surprisingly also apply to businesses that have no concern with handling data, considering how laws governing this policy are constantly amended to suit technology advancement. Some of these laws include;
– California Online Privacy Policy Act (CalOPPA): This is the strictest of privacy laws and applies to businesses that collect personal information from California residents.
– The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): is also an important law in the United States and it protects the privacy of children below 13years of age which includes the collection of their personal information online.
– General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): is a privacy law that originates in Europe and governs all businesses around the world. The GDPR operates the ‘Right To Be Forgotten’ act which allows users to request an online website to delete or stop their collected data with third-party services.
All these laws and others that govern other geographical zones have penalties for non-compliance such as payment of hefty fines, hence more reason for a business to have a privacy policy.
How To Create A Privacy Policy And What A Privacy Policy Should Contain?
There are various websites on which one could create a privacy policy without necessarily hiring a lawyer. Some of these websites include Termsfeed, Privacypolicies, and Lubenda amongst others. A quick search online will bring up their websites and the procedures needed to create a privacy policy.
The Privacy Policy is a piece of information published on and by an online business site and shows the following:
– What personal information will be collected (such as the user’s name, email, credit information e.t.c)
– How the information collected will be used
– The cookies, pixel, and other track technologies the site use and for what purpose.
– Advertisements, ad delivery, and method of data collection.
– How a user can accept or decline his/her data being collected and
– How a user can request his/her data be deleted or withdraw consent from sharing this data with third-party associates.
– The contact information of the site administrators.
All these should be stated clearly and understandably for users and a link to the policy should be visible on the site. This information leaves the user or visitor with the choice of using the site’s services or not if they are or are not comfortable with how much protection your privacy policy offers. It is also important to note that the Privacy Policy should always be current and should inform its users about any changes made. In sum, every human has a right to have his/her privacy respected both online and offline and this is why the PP was enacted, hence every business site whether concerned with its user’s data or not should have a privacy policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
– What Countries require a Privacy Policy?
Countries like the United States, Europe, Canada, the UK, and Australia require that a business should have a policy.
– What are Cookies?
Cookies are small text bits sent to a site user’s computer to enable the site to recognize them whenever they visit.
– Do I Need A Privacy Policy for a Facebook Page?
No, but Facebook requires that if at any time one starts collecting information from users, one has to specify that it’s them and not Facebook collecting such data.
