How to Write an Online Privacy Policy
If your website or mobile app will be gathering any type of personal information from users for any reason, it will require a Privacy Policy.
In this article we'll cover the following information that you can refer to when writing your Privacy Policy:
- Why a Privacy Policy is necessary
- Purpose of a Privacy Policy
- Topics to include in a Privacy Policy
- Topics that apply only to specific websites or mobile apps
- Location, access and agreement
- Privacy best practices
It's quite possible that few users will ever read your entire Privacy Policy. You may ask yourself, is it truly necessary?
Since it will almost certainly be necessary for you to collect personal data from users, a Privacy Policy will be required by law. Several different federal regulatory systems exist to protect the privacy of internet consumers - one or all of which may apply to your business.
A few of these regulations include:
- In California, the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA)
- In the US, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
- In Canada, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
- In the EU, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Besides satisfying the requirements of international law, a Privacy Policy also helps to create an environment of transparency and honesty between you and your users. When it comes to concerns about the use of personal information online, a Privacy Policy can cultivate confidence and trust with consumers.