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Free Privacy Policy Generator
USAttorneys.com offers a free privacy policy generator to create a privacy policy for your website. Every website should have a privacy policy. If you collect data from users, especially from users in the European Union, a privacy policy is required under the law. What constitutes “collecting data?” Even simple things, like using Google Analytics, or including a contact form on your website to ask users to join an e-mail list can be considered using a website to collect data. If you let users comment on blog posts, this can also be considered “using data.” In short, most people who have a website will want to include a privacy policy on their site. And even if you don’t have an email list yet, or don’t yet use Google analytics, or don’t think you collect data, because you’ve turned off comments, you’ll still want to include a privacy policy on your website if you intend for people to visit your website.
If you do collect data from users, you’ll need to include a privacy policy. When do you need a privacy policy? You need a privacy policy if you are collecting:
- First and last names of website visitors
- Email addresses from website visitors
- Shipping or billing addresses from website visitors
- Phone numbers of website visitors
- Social media information of website visitors
- Any other information from website visitors
A privacy policy can make your website is compliant with the law regarding data collection, management of data, and how data is used. Even if you don’t think you are collecting user data, and have a simple website, it is still a good idea to have a privacy policy. But, even more important, if you are planning on using your website for your business, or for e-commerce, it is even more essential that you include a privacy policy on your website. A privacy policy lets users know what kind of data you are collecting from them, how you manage and store the data you collect from users, and how you use the data collected from users. Under EU GDPR legislation, websites that serve users in the European Union must also include information about users’ rights regarding their data.
USAttorneys.com’s free privacy policy generator can help you create a privacy policy for your website. Use our free privacy policy generator to create a privacy policy that can protect you and inform users about how their data is used and collected. A privacy policy should always include information about the data you collect from website visitors, how you collect this data, why you are collecting data from users, users’ rights regarding their data, and how you plan to use the data that is collected.
To generate a free privacy policy, click here.
Why Is Having a Privacy Policy Important?
Having a privacy policy can protect you from potentially facing major fines, especially under EU GDPR legislation, or being taken to court for violating website users’ privacy. Having a privacy policy is also important because it is required if you plan to use certain powerful tools on the web. For example, if you want to use Google Analytics to manage and monitor SEO and traffic, you’ll be required to have a privacy policy. If you plan to use these tools, a privacy policy is essential. Google requires that website owners inform users that their information is being used for tracking purposes.
While there isn’t a federal law in the U.S. that requires websites to have a privacy policy, California law requires that commercial websites that collect data on California residents have privacy policies that clearly identify what kind of personal data is collected about individuals using the website, what kind of information may be shared with third parties, and whether the website uses online tracking practices, like say, Google Analytics. Under California law, the privacy policy must also let users know whether they can opt out of online tracking on your website.
It is important to get your privacy policy right. Under FTC laws, if you fail to honor the terms of your own privacy policy, like failing to let users opt out of tracking when you tell them they can, you could face fines from the FTC for deceptive or unfair trade practices. USAttorneys.com offers a basic free privacy policy generator on its website but urges website owners who plan to use Google Analytics, or those who plan to engage in e-commerce on their websites to read local and international laws regarding their obligations and rights when it comes to generating a privacy policy. Yet, if you have a basic website, generating a free privacy policy is a good start to begin to bring your website into compliance.
To generate a free privacy policy, click here.
Generating a Basic Free Privacy Policy
Privacy policies are often located at the bottom of a website as a link that connects users to a page where the privacy policy can be found. What should be included in a basic privacy policy? A basic privacy policy should include the following:
- Information about the website owner.
- Information about whether data is disclosed to third parties.
- Information about the data being collected, how the data is collected, and why it is being collected.
- Date of the policy. And information about how you plan to make changes to the privacy policy.
Yet, it is important to note that a basic privacy policy would only apply to a website engaging in the simplest kind of activities targeting local users, for instance, a website providing local information about local events. If you plan to create a website for e-commerce, for international users, or a website engaging in a wider range of activities, it might be a good idea to include a privacy policy with the greatest possible provisions and then eliminate provisions you do not need. If your website handles health data, targets users under 13, or engages in financial activities, your privacy policy may need to be more involved to meet legal requirements. For example, if you knowingly collect information about children under age 13, you must have a clear online privacy policy describing how you collect personal information from children. If you plan to make your website available to residents of the European Union or use data from these residents, having a strict privacy policy is also important.
USAttorneys.com offers a basic free privacy policy generator.
To generate a basic free privacy policy, click here.
How to Generate a Free Privacy Policy
A basic free privacy policy is easy to generate. USAttorneys.com offers a basic free private policy generator for users to begin including a privacy policy on their website. When creating a privacy policy for your website, it is important to keep some things in mind. Your privacy policy should be written in language that can be understood by the average consumer. A privacy policy loaded with legalese might not make you compliant. A privacy policy that cannot be read by someone without a law degree might also not be compliant. The key thing to keep in mind is to be transparent and clear about what you are doing with user data. If an eighth grader cannot read your privacy policy and understand it, your privacy policy is probably too complex. USAttorneys.com offers a basic free privacy policy generator.
To generate a basic free privacy policy, click here.
Annual Privacy Policy Renewal
Financial institutions and companies that engage in financial activities are legally required to provide privacy policies to their customers and are required to let customers know about how they share information and give customers an option to opt out if they don’t want their information shared. “Financial activities” is defined rather broadly by the FTC. It includes traditional banks, lenders, sellers of money orders, companies providing financial planning for clients, any company involved in brokering, servicing, or collecting loans, a company providing real estate settlement services, and career counseling for those going into financial activities. Financial institutions have a special obligation regarding the privacy of their consumers because they may handle sensitive information from customers, including Social Security numbers, or manage data related to a customer’s credit report. When companies handle such sensitive data, they have special obligations and must meet more stringent legal requirements regarding data safety and collection. Similarly, a company that provides health services may be required to meet more stringent data collection, data protection, and privacy laws, including HIPAA.
Even if you are not engaged in financial activities on your website, it may be a good idea to annually renew your privacy policy. New laws are constantly being written, and the nature of your business might have changed in the past year. Better to set a yearly date to update your policy, than to find that your privacy policy is obsolete or doesn’t meet current standards.
Are you looking for a free, basic privacy policy? USAttorneys.com offers free online privacy policy generator if you need a basic privacy policy.
To generate a basic free privacy policy, click here.
