In this era of digitization, user data has become an invaluable resource. However, with this surge in data acquisition comes the responsibility and obligation to respect users' privacy. Thus, creating a robust, transparent, and informative Policies Page on your website is a significant step towards assuring users of their data privacy. This knowledge base article will discuss the importance and various aspects of generating or linking a Privacy Policy and what information to include under different sections.

Privacy Policy section of a selected Domain

A Privacy Policy outlines how your website collects, uses, and manages user data. You can either link an existing privacy policy on your website or generate a new one using a reliable generator tool like Secure Privacy.

- Option A - Provide a link to your own Privacy Policy

Provide the URL where you have your Privacy policy already implemented - this would allow your website visitors to access when using the Privacy Policy tab inside the Preference center UI.

- Option B - Generate a new privacy policy with Secure Privacy

(1) Use Secure Privacy's Cookie and Privacy generator:

Selecting the other option allows you to pre-configure Privacy and Cookie policy via generator inputs below.

(2) Language:

Apply the language you want the information on the page to be applied to.

(3) Where do you want to use the privacy policy?

Where you want to use your privacy policy? Specify whether it's intended for your website, a mobile app, or both. Among the details required are your website's URL and name.

(4) Legal Basis:

Consult with you legal team on the next item in the list - the legal basis for the personal data collection, as this justifies data processing. This might be consent, a contract, legitimate interests, compliance with laws, public interests or vital interests.

(5) Entity Type:

Is your website run by an individual or a business entity? This will govern the type of information you can collect and how to use it. The entity might either be a business including corporations, limited liability companies, non-profits, partnerships, sole proprietorship or an individual.

(6) Personal Information:

Transparency is crucial when it’s about collecting personal information. Clearly specify what type of personal information you collect and the purpose of doing so. It includes names, contact information, location data, and digital identifiers such as IP addresses.

(7) Purpose of the Collected Data:

This specifies why the data are being collected, which may include service operation and maintenance, customer support, analytical purposes, technical issue detection and prevention, communication, etc.

(8) Data Location and Storage:

This denotes where the data controller stores the collected data, essentially specifying data processing locations.

(9) Payment Processors:

Depending on whether the entity uses external payment processors or not, they might refer to various systems such as Stripe, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and others.

(10) Analytical tools:

Entities may use a variety of tools to monitor site traffic and user activity, including Google Analytics, HotJar, Kissmetrics, etc.

(11) Using Ad services providers:

If you show ads on your website, it's important to disclose the tools used for advertising like Google Ads, Heap Analytics, Kissmetrics, Calendly, etc., as this information impacts how user data is gathered and used. Add these services to the list

(12) Third-Party Service Providers ("data processors"):

This clarifies the third-party service providers or "data processors" the entity uses, which could be Google Analytics, Azure, Cloudflare and others.

(13) Social Plugins:

Whether the entity uses social media tools and plugins or not.

(14) Backup Practices:

Disclosing whether you keep backups that contain personal data helps in reassuring users that their information is secure and stored responsibly.

(15) Security Measures:

Enlightening users about the security measures such as IP anonymization, encryption, data masking etc. in place can strengthen trust in your platform.

(16) Contact Information:

Provide clear and multiple contact options, including an email address, website contact form, toll-free number, or post mail to ensure users can conveniently communicate their queries or concerns regarding the privacy policy.

(17) Data Protection Officer:

Whether you have a Data Protection Officer (DPO) or not, this needs to be communicated to your users along with their contact details, if applicable. It assures users that you're serious about their data protection.

(18) Disclosure of Personal Information:

Detailing if you disclose user information to third parties is fundamental, it provides users with the necessary data to make informed decisions regarding their continued usage of your platform. Please add the names of such parties if applicable.

(19) Selling Personal Information:

Whether the entity sells personal information to third parties and the names of such parties if applicable.

(20) "Do Not Track" Responses:

Finally, stating whether you respond to ‘Do Not Track’ signals offers crucial insight into your commitment to privacy.

Please scroll up to the top of this section and click "Save" after you have completed the questionnaire above.

Creating a comprehensive Privacy Policy is crucial in the era of data transparency and protection. As a site owner, you must keep your website in line with data protection regulations and help your users understand how their information is used. 

Especially nowadays, a comprehensive privacy policy is not just legally necessary, but it also builds trust among visitors and customers by demonstrating transparency and respect for their privacy. Remember, a robust, readily comprehensible and transparent policy page can significantly contribute to your website's success. Get started today with Secure Privacy and elevate your site's credibility and trustworthiness by following the steps outlined in this article!