In the fast-evolving world of the internet and online applications more and more internet users are taking an interest in what is happening with their data when visiting websites or using an online service. They are afraid of what is happening with the data and if private information is shared without knowing it. Moreover, visitors know that privacy is a critical aspect in today’s world, they are mindful of their digital footprint every time they visit a website. Hackers are on the prowl, and they mostly target websites that do not take encryption of passwords and website security seriously. So you want to show visitors that you take security and privacy seriously.
Both laws, like the European Union GDPR, and the growing group of visitors that worries about the risk of losing control over their data show that a good privacy policy is important. A good policy covers things like how the website collects, uses, stores, and protects the data of users. Data, in this case, refers to information like names, IP addresses, physical/email address, financial information (especially when your websites or application sell products), and more. These are often grouped as non-personal and personal data.
Contents
Who Should Have A Privacy Policy And Why Is It Important?
Most, if not all websites, use cookies to collect data of users. It means virtually every site needs to have a privacy policy. It is a statement that lets users know how they interact with a site, which information he or she willing sharing and why some sites request special data access permission granted by the user. From e-Commerce websites, news websites to blogs, websites also use privacy policies to let users know they kind of information they will collect beforehand. You wouldn’t want to tell visitors later that some form of personal data has been collected to give you a better browsing experience. Research has shown that websites that have a good to read privacy policy are seen as safer.
Rules for privacy policies may vary from country to country. Some are more strict, as the European Union internet privacy law than others. But it is important to realize that your website may be visited by people from those countries as well. This means that if you do not block your site or application for those visitors you need to look at those different policies. This explains why some sites restrict access to certain geographic areas unless one uses a VPN. The latter is often considered a breach of privacy laws.
How to Generate Online Privacy Policy
Now that you know who needs to have an internet privacy policy, the next question most people would be asking at this point is how to generate one. First, you should note that when it comes to generating a privacy policy for your mobile app or website, a few things should come to mind. They include:
- The purpose of a privacy policy will serve, especially regarding the nature of information and data a site collects from users.
- You should also understand the importance of a privacy policy, especially in this age of information before generating one.
- Always generate the most current privacy policy for your site. You do not want to risk publishing outdated privacy policies that do not conform to your country’s laws as well as international practices in data protection.
- The location of your website also plays significance. Take, for example, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) that applies to members of the European Union (EU).
- The type of audience your site target is equally important. For example, if you are a resident of the United States, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is recommended to site that target underage users.
Apart from conforming to international laws, online privacy policies must also create a transparent and honest internet environment for users and website owners. If you are looking to generate a privacy policy for your newly established website, let’s take a look at how to go about it.
Use a Privacy Policy Generator
The internet is replete with hundreds of privacy policy generation tools. Thus, choosing the best generator should always boil down to going through a few reviews. Privacypolicies.com is particularly popular among website owners. Shopify is another platform that features one of the best privacy policy generators on the web. However, regardless of the policy generator one uses, the bottom line is that it should be simple to use, trusted by many, and legitimate.
Most, if not all of these tools, work in a near similar manner. In the end, regardless of a tool one uses, you should get a document that conforms to international data protection and privacy laws. Moreover, once you generate a template, check to ensure it meets your needs in the best way possible. Also take note that when generating this document, a standard generator should have a provision for the following clauses for it to meet provisions of internationally accepted privacy policy statement:
● Website visitors
At some point, you will website will start receiving huge traffic, especially if it is helpful to internet users. It is a clause in the privacy policy statement that highlights personal information that your site will collect from users. It could be financial status, age, sex, IP address, email address, and location. The significance of this clause is that it helps websites tweak content and model user experiences (UX) that suit the unique needs of users from different parts of the world.
● Security of Site Users
When using a privacy policy generator, the security of users is another clause that should be clearly stated. While most internet security tools always promise 100% data protection, it would be difficult to realize if users do not take their online privacy seriously. In this clause, let users know that your site has the best security tools and employs hi-tech encryption technology to protect them against identity theft, misuse of personal information, malware attack, and hacking.
● Links to External Sources Clause
Most sites have outbound links to other sites, research publications, or partners. Because of this, a clause that spells out links to external sources is necessary. With this at the back of your mind, let internet users who visit your site know that when they click certain links, they will be directed to websites that you do not operate. Most importantly, this clause should spell out the need to read user privacy policies on those sites to which they are directed.
● Cookies
Cookies give internet users a better experience on every website they visit. If you do not allow cookies when requested to do so, website pages may not load correctly. Cookies are often stored in browsers so that next time you visit the same site; it loads faster and adjusts to your needs with great ease. In any case, a cookie clause is a must-have when generating an internet privacy policy.
● A Clause on Privacy Policy Changes
The Internet privacy policy is subject to occasional changes. It depends on legal amendments of laws relating to data protection and internet use. It is, therefore, important to include this section in the privacy policy statement that you generate online. By letting users know when changes on a policy will be implemented, they adjust as needed. Often, these changes are in line with legal enactments or amendments.
● User Aggregated Stats
Another pivotal clause that website owners should include in a privacy policy they generate online is aggregated user statistics. Usually, this clause spells out a non-discloser agreement between you and website visitors. By indicating that you will not disclose data or information that identifies a person that visits a site, especially their behaviors, internet users are less worried about their statistics or digital footprints.
● Advertisements Clause
While not all websites run e-Ecommerce activities, web banners that promote products are services are common sightings. It is why; including advertisements clause in a privacy policy statement is important, if not necessary. For websites that work closely with advertisement partners, disclosing this information is important. Let users know that your partners may use cookies to collect information from third party users. The purpose of third party advertisement cookies is to collect data/information that helps that display relevant ads that suit the needs of people visiting your website.
A Checklist for Generating Online Privacy Policy
After choosing a tool that generates online privacy policy, the following checklist will help you do it right:
- Check if the countries that are visiting, or using your application match the geographic areas covered by the privacy policy.
- Provide basic information about your website. Whether it is a blog, an online application, a business-oriented site, or an organization, basic information about your business will help you choose a perfect template for generating a privacy policy.
- Choose the right clause depending on the nature of your site. Clauses define the type of information you will collect from users.
- If need be, you can add your terms and conditions after generating a privacy policy online.
