Why You Need to Have a Privacy Policy on your Website

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Why You Need to Have a Privacy Policy on Your Website

Do you read the privacy policies on websites? Most people don’t, research has shown that 87% of people accept privacy policies without reading them, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important.

In this blog post, we’ll be sharing why you need to have a privacy policy on your website.

What is a Privacy Policy?

A privacy policy is a legal document that shows some or all of the ways a party collates, uses, shares, and manages a user or client’s data.

Simply, it’s a policy that allows your site visitors and customers to know what kind of data you’re collecting, what you’re doing with the data collected and how long their database will last in your possession.

What Should A Privacy Policy Contain?

Privacy policies should be well-detailed, short and understandable to users. Once it’s clear in simple terms to everyone reading it, there would be fewer misinterpretations and your site can defend the policy if the need arises. 

A basic privacy policy should cover: 

     

      • A list and description of the information collected

      • Where you found the information

      • Why the information was collected

      • How the information was collected and is stored  

      • Who has access to the information and if it will be shared or sold 

      • The rights users have over the data collected 

      • How users can exercise the rights

      • Your site’s contact information

      • Link to terms of service and cookie policy if need be

    This isn’t a total list of everything that can be added, privacy policies need to be constantly reviewed and updated to match rules and regulations when required. 

    Why A Privacy Policy Is Important

    The main purpose of a privacy policy is to show users and customers that you take privacy seriously and that their information and personal data are safe with your business. 

    Several laws make it compulsory for sites and businesses to have a privacy policy. An example is Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), even Google Analytics has a requirement that every user must have a privacy policy agreement. 

    A privacy policy is important to protect the privacy of users and to build trust between your site and users. There are also huge fines attached to breaking privacy policy rules, this shows how important it is for every website and business to have it. 

    Laws that Guide Privacy Policies 

    In addition to the regulations earlier stated, here are some other laws that kick against not having a privacy policy 

       

        • California Online Privacy Protection Act

      These are just a few of the guidelines and regulations that can penalise for now having privacy policies. 

      Tools to Aid Online Privacy Policy

      It can prove very difficult trying to create a privacy policy by yourself without missing out on any important information or guidelines, this is where privacy policy generation tools come in.

      You can use a privacy policy generator to set up your policies and ensure that they are up to standard.

      Here are a few examples of tools that you can use. 

         

        terms feed

        Image Source: TermsFeed

        This is a tool that works great with web and mobile apps, websites, SAAS, eCommerce and more. It helps to generate trusted legal documents and you can use it to create terms and conditions, cookie policies, disclaimers, refund policies and so on. 

        Creating a privacy policy for individuals is free but adding GDPR or CalOPPA compliance comes with a price. This tool is easy to use and follows general rules.

           

          privacy policy

          Image Source: PrivacyPolicies.com

          PrivacyPolicies.com is another generation tool that can help you create all kinds of policies for your website or app. You can have a privacy policy, cookies, disclaimer, terms and conditions etc. 

          You don’t have to worry about the difference in privacy laws based on location. This product will automatically customize your privacy policy to suit your location and ensure you’re up-to-date with the guidelines.  

          It also offers 5+ translation languages, DOCX and PDF formats of the policy, payment processors and ads clauses and it’s fully compliant with GDPR.

             

            free shopify themes

            Image Source: Shopify

            Shopify’s privacy policy generator tool is designed to make privacy policies, especially for eCommerce stores. You can use it to generate a basic policy once you specify the information to be collected. 

            This free tool is easy to use and it’s easy to navigate. You’ll need to enter a few details and you’ll get a dedicated privacy policy ready for you to use. 

            It doesn’t have additional charges which means you’ll be getting quality documents for free and it’s in line with the rules of GDPR.

            Frequently Asked Questions about Privacy Policies

            There are a lot of questions concerning privacy policies by business owners and websites. Here are a few of those questions answered. 

               

                • Can I write my own privacy policy?

              The answer to this is yes, you can write a privacy policy for yourself. You can do this with the help of a privacy policy template or tool and it can help you ensure the policy you’re writing is standard and offers the best to users 

                 

                  • Does every website need a privacy policy?

                The answer to this is no, not all websites are required to have a privacy policy. The policy is mainly to guide the collection, storing and usuals of data. Only websites that collect personal information are subjected to privacy policies. 

                Examples of such information include; names, physical address details, email addresses, social security numbers, card details and so on

                   

                    • Is a privacy policy legally required?

                  Yes, a privacy policy is legally required in most countries, although the US doesn’t have a federal law that requires businesses to have a privacy policy, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) is acceptable as one of the privacy laws protecting consumers 

                     

                      • How much notice do I need to give for a change in the privacy policy?

                    If you intend to change your site or business’s privacy policy, you should give the notice based on the kind of change you’re making. 

                    You should share notices of any change a couple of weeks before the change is effected. It will give the users enough time to adjust any preferences as they need may. 

                    Although not always required, it’s a great practice to actively involve users in any change even if it looks very insignificant. Some little changes can be announced very close to the date or even after the update

                    Conclusion 

                    Although sometimes overlooked by some business owners and websites, privacy policies are effective and required to ensure that users’ data are used properly for the right reasons.

                    You should consider setting up a privacy policy for your business if you already don’t have one or updating the one that you have to stay up-to-date.

                    If you’d like to read more articles on SEO, email marketing and everything eCommerce, then you should read our blog posts.

                    We offer services ranging from SEO to email marketing, let our professionals help you.  

                    Inioluwa Ademuwagun

                    Inioluwa Ademuwagun

                    Author

                    Inioluwa Ademuwagun is a content marketing professional with many years of experience in writing content that drives sales. She has worked with different clients from Europe and North America. She’s passionate about writing and using social media for the right purposes. She loves to travel the world and is looking to be a globetrotter soon.

                    Privacy Policy

                    Last updated: June 08, 2022

                    This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

                    We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

                    Interpretation and Definitions

                    Interpretation

                    The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

                    Definitions

                    For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

                    • Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.

                    • Company (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us” or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to Kas Andz Marketing Group, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN.

                    • Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.

                    • Country refers to: United Kingdom

                    • Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone or a digital tablet.

                    • Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.

                    • Service refers to the Website.

                    • Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.

                    • Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).

                    • Website refers to Kas Andz Marketing Group, accessible from kasandz.

                    • You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

                    Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

                    Types of Data Collected

                    Personal Data

                    While using Our Service, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

                    • Email address

                    • First name and last name

                    • Phone number

                    • Address, State, Province, ZIP/Postal code, City

                    • Usage Data

                    Usage Data

                    Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service.

                    Usage Data may include information such as Your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

                    When You access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

                    We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile device.

                    Tracking Technologies and Cookies

                    We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Service and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service. The technologies We use may include:

                    • Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on Your Device. You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service. Unless you have adjusted Your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, our Service may use Cookies.
                    • Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Service may use local stored objects (or Flash Cookies) to collect and store information about Your preferences or Your activity on our Service. Flash Cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as those used for Browser Cookies. For more information on how You can delete Flash Cookies, please read “Where can I change the settings for disabling, or deleting local shared objects?” available at flash player.
                    • Web Beacons. Certain sections of our Service and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of a certain section and verifying system and server integrity).

                    Cookies can be “Persistent” or “Session” Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on Your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close Your web browser. Learn more about cookies on the Free Privacy Policy website article.

                    We use both Session and Persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:

                    • Necessary / Essential Cookies

                      Type: Session Cookies

                      Administered by: Us

                      Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.

                    • Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies

                      Type: Persistent Cookies

                      Administered by: Us

                      Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.

                    • Functionality Cookies

                      Type: Persistent Cookies

                      Administered by: Us

                      Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.

                    For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookies Policy or the Cookies section of our Privacy Policy.

                    Use of Your Personal Data

                    The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

                    • To provide and maintain our Service, including to monitor the usage of our Service.

                    • To manage Your Account: to manage Your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.

                    • For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.

                    • To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application’s push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.

                    • To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless You have opted not to receive such information.

                    • To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us.

                    • For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.

                    • For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing and your experience.

                    We may share Your personal information in the following situations:

                    • With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to contact You.
                    • For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
                    • With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
                    • With business partners: We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
                    • With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside.
                    • With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.

                    Retention of Your Personal Data

                    The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

                    The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

                    Transfer of Your Personal Data

                    Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

                    Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

                    The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

                    Disclosure of Your Personal Data

                    Business Transactions

                    If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

                    Law enforcement

                    Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

                    Other legal requirements

                    The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

                    • Comply with a legal obligation
                    • Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
                    • Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
                    • Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
                    • Protect against legal liability

                    Security of Your Personal Data

                    The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

                    Children’s Privacy

                    Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

                    If We need to rely on consent as a legal basis for processing Your information and Your country requires consent from a parent, We may require Your parent’s consent before We collect and use that information.

                    Links to Other Websites

                    Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

                    We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

                    Changes to this Privacy Policy

                    We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

                    We will let You know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

                    You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

                    Contact Us

                    If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:

                    • By email: team@kasandz.com