Why Your Website Needs a Privacy Policy

Internet privacy is a major concern to many website visitors. These days, businesses conducted via websites have become the common norm. However, the way personal data is disclosed or shared by sites where customers have to submit such information is not always properly revealed. All internet users are worried about sharing their personal information in case it gets misused by others. This is why your website should have a clearly laid out privacy policy.

The privacy policy on a website is a document which informs the user of the parameters of privacy as provided by the site. The privacy policy has detailed information regarding how the personal data of a user will be used and to what extent it will be distributed. Having a privacy policy on a website is required by law and any site which does not comply with the legal aspects of having a privacy policy on its site can and have been sued by law enforcers. After all, consumer protection is not a matter to be taken lightly.

Having a privacy policy for your website gives customers a sense of security and eases their mind. It gives the site a very professional image and attracts more site visitors who are willing to conduct their business through your secure website. The privacy policy of a website is instrumental in promoting the marketing value of the site and increasing customer retention.

While it is true that almost all websites these days have a privacy policy, not all of them follow legal guidelines. Many websites copy their policies from other websites. Borrowing a privacy policy from another website may seem like an innocent act, but the terms stated within the policy may not adhere to the website’s actual practice. This can result in the website being penalized heavily in case of a breach of privacy. A good privacy policy follows the stipulated guidelines as dictated by law.

To create a privacy policy for your website, you need expert help from someone who is familiar with the regulations regarding website privacy. Depending on what kind of data your website collects, your privacy policy needs to be modified and worded. The policy should also be accurate at any point of time. In case the website practices are changed in any way, you need to post a new privacy policy, which complies with the changed practices. The entire document should be easily understood by the customer and should not have hidden clauses buried under complicated language.

In case you need to create your privacy policy on your own, you can use online tools like the one at Free Privacy Policy. The policies created by this online privacy policy generator are easy to read, and customized according to your web services on offer. The privacy policy generator asks you a series of questions and gives you a completed document within minutes. You can customize the document as necessary and then use it for your website. No wonder that such privacy policies are very effective as and when they need to be executed.

Having a privacy policy on your website is as much necessary for you as it is for your customers. If your policy is not well written, it can create liability issues. So, make sure that your website has a comprehensive privacy policy so that you can get the confidence of your existing as well as potential customers, and also avoid legal hassles should an adverse situation arise.