You’re probably here because you googled Do I need a privacy policy? so let’s get right to it:
Yes. If have a website, you almost certainly need a privacy policy.
Before I say more, an important disclaimer:
Privacy policies are legal documents, and I am not an attorney. This article should not be considered legal advice or a substitute for professional legal consultation.
But here’s how I as a non-lawyer understand things:
What is a Privacy Policy?
A privacy policy is a statement that explains how a website collects, uses, stores, and protects users’ personal information.
Who needs a Privacy Policy?
You need a privacy policy if your website has any of the below:
- A newsletter form
- A contact form
- Affiliate links
- A shop
- Social media integration
- Downloadable content
- Site Analytics
- Ad integration (ie, if you run Meta or Google ads)
And those are just the most common elements, not a comprehensive list.
How do I get a Privacy Policy?
I’ve had author clients give me privacy policy text they found for free via Google and ask me to add that to their site.
I cringed.
I can’t say for sure whether a free privacy policy covers the legal bases or not, but to me, this feels akin to picking up a parachute you found on the side of the road and then jumping out of a plane with it. If it has tiny holes, you’re not going to know until it’s too late.
I purchased this privacy policy from a legal boutique (yep, that’s a thing).
It comes bundled with Terms & Conditions, because, guess what! You probably need that too!
It’s not cheap, but then neither is the potential $50,000 fee if you’re found being non-compliant with privacy law.
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