Writing a Privacy Notice
The protection of personal information on a website is important regardless of the size of your business. The addition of a Privacy Policy to your site gives your visitors the reassurance that their personal data is safe.
Disclaimer.
The information provided in this helpsheet is intended as a guide to the sort of information typically required of a Privacy Policy. You should not rely on this article as legal advice or as recommendations regarding what you should actually do. We recommend that you seek legal advice to help you understand and to assist you in the creation of your Privacy Policy, and forty40studio cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions in your published Policy.
What is a privacy policy?
A privacy policy is a statement that discloses the ways a website collects, uses, discloses, and manages the data of its visitors and customers. It fulfils a legal requirement to protect a visitor or client's privacy.
Information to add to your policy.
There are multiple aspects of privacy law that all website owners must comply with when handling personal information. Below is a list of topics you should consider when implementing a privacy policy for your website.
What type of information do you collect?
Clarify the type of personal information you collect from your site visitors, such as email, name, billing details, social security number, etc.
How do you collect information?
Explain your processes in collecting your site visitors' personal information, e.g. when your client sends you a message through a contact form, when they purchase a product in your store, or when they subscribe to your newsletter.
Why do you collect such personal information?
Explain why you collect your site visitors' personal information, e.g. you might collect email addresses for your marketing campaigns, or their addresses for shipping purposes.
How do you store, use, share and disclose your site visitors' personal information?
Detail how you store and use your site visitors' personal information that you've collected. You should also inform them how such information is shared with third parties.
How do you communicate with your site visitors?
Explain your means of communication (e.g. email, text message, etc.,) and for what purposes (e.g. marketing campaigns, promotions, updates, etc.). Explain exactly how you contact your site visitors (e.g. email, SMS, etc.) and for what purposes (e.g. marketing campaigns, promotions, updates, etc.) and how they can opt out of receiving such messages.
How do you use cookies and other tracking tools?
Be clear about what tracking tools (e.g. cookies, flash cookies, web beacons, etc.,) your website employs, what personal information they gather and why they are being used.
Note: We can provide details of this to add to your policy.
How can your site visitors withdraw their consent?
Explain how your site visitors can withdraw their consent for collection of personal information, as well as how they can delete or change the collected information.
Privacy policy updates.
We recommend that you inform your users about your ability to change or update your site's privacy policy.
Questions and your contact information.
Provide valid contact details in order for your users or site visitors to be able to contact you.
Once written we will add this to your site and generally provide a link to it from the site footer. There may also be a link to it from any Cookie pop-up widgets used.