DOES MY WEBSITE NEED A PRIVACY POLICY?

Category:? Data Privacy

Ever wonder if your business website needs a privacy policy? Learn more from the article below

Written By Ericz Ezekiel Tay

What you need to know

• What is a privacy policy?? A privacy policy on your website serves as a crucial document informing users about how your business collects and uses their personal information. The users will provide their consent for such collection and use based on what is written in the privacy notice. A privacy policy typically includes the purpose of collection and use, options of access, correction, or removal of personal information, and contact information for inquiries and requests.
• Do you need it?? If your business collects any form of personal information—such as names, addresses, phone numbers, or medical status—from the users, a privacy policy is needed. These details are often pivotal for lead generation and marketing efforts.

In addition, if your website targets users from different countries and offers products or services to these markets, your privacy policy must align with the respective privacy laws and regulations. Privacy laws can vary significantly between countries, and some countries will require local translations of the privacy notice.

• Benefits.? A privacy policy builds consumer trust as it is one of the first few steps to show that a business has some form of privacy practice. It could also result in more business opportunities as potential customers visiting a website without a privacy policy may be deterred, assuming inadequate privacy measures.

Having a privacy policy and obtaining consent from the users also help to avoid fines and reputational loss in the event of complaints and/or data breaches.

Action required

You can start by reviewing your website to find out if there is any personal information collected and if there is any real business need for it.? If the answer is yes, creating a privacy policy may seem daunting, as it is hard to know what to include and how to word it. It is a good idea to get assistance with this process, as it is a one-off cost that can start you on your privacy journey and save you from disputes and liability in the long run.

Our team helps businesses with the review and improvement of their privacy arrangements. Get in touch with us to learn more.