Inform website users of collection of private data: Privacy Policy
What we’ll cover
What is a Privacy Policy?
A Privacy Policy is a legal document that discloses the types of personal information collected on your website and how your website uses that information. Privacy Policies give users confidence in your website and business.
Privacy Policies usually include information about how your business will use and protect financial information like credit card numbers, addresses, and phone numbers. They can also spell out whether a site collects demographic data such as age, gender, income, race, religion, or political affiliation.
Information is the currency of the internet, and personal information has become a commodity. If you want to give users confidence in your website, a Privacy Policy provides transparency which builds trust with users.
When to use a Privacy Policy:
- You have created a website and you want to tell users or customers how your website uses the personal information collected.
- You want to make it clear to your website’s users exactly what data you’re collecting about them.
Sample Privacy Policy
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Privacy Policy
Protecting your private information is our priority. This Statement of Privacy applies to , , and and governs data collection and usage. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, unless otherwise noted, all references to include . The website is a site. The application is a application. By using the , you consent to the data practices described in this statement.
Privacy Compliance Certification
has certification.
Collection of your Personal Information
| - | First and Last Name |
| - | Mailing Address |
| - | E-mail Address |
| - | Phone Number |
| - | Employer |
| - | Job Title |
| - |
| - | Age |
| - | Gender |
| - | Race |
| - | Religion |
| - | Political Affiliation |
| - | Household Income |
| - |
We do not collect any personal information about you unless you voluntarily provide it to us. However, you may be required to provide certain personal information to us when you elect to use certain products or services. These may include: (a) registering for an account; (b) entering a sweepstakes or contest sponsored by us or one of our partners; (c) signing up for special offers from selected third parties; (d) sending us an email message; (e) submitting your credit card or other payment information when ordering and purchasing products and services. To wit, we will use your information for, but not limited to, communicating with you in relation to services and/or products you have requested from us. We also may gather additional personal or non-personal information in the future.
Use of your Personal Information
collects and uses your personal information to operate and deliver the services you have requested.
may also use your personally identifiable information to inform you of other products or services available from and its affiliates.
Sharing Information with Third Parties
does not sell, rent or lease its customer lists to third parties. may sell, rent, or lease customer information to third parties for the following reasons:
may, from time to time, contact you on behalf of external business partners about a particular offering that may be of interest to you. In those cases, your unique personally identifiable information (e-mail, name, address, telephone number) is not transferred to the third party. may share data with trusted partners to help perform statistical analysis, send you email or postal mail, provide customer support, or arrange for deliveries. All such third parties are prohibited from using your personal information except to provide these services to , and they are required to maintain the confidentiality of your information.
may disclose your personal information, without notice, if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of ; and/or (c) act under exigent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of , or the public.
Opt-Out of Sale or Disclosure of Personal Information to Third Parties
In connection with any personal information we may sell or disclose to a third party for a business purpose, you have the right to know:
| • | The categories of personal information about you that we sold and the categories of third parties to whom the personal information was sold. |
| • | The categories of personal information about you that we sold and the categories of third parties to whom the personal information was sold; and |
| • | The categories of personal information that we disclosed about you for a business purpose. |
You have the right under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) and certain other privacy and data protection laws, as applicable, to opt-out of the of your personal information. If you exercise your right to opt-out of the of your personal information, we will refrain from your personal information, unless you subsequently provide express authorization for the of your personal information. To opt-out of the of your personal information, visit this Web page .
Tracking User Behavior
may keep track of the websites and pages our users visit within , in order to determine what services are the most popular. This data is used to deliver customized content and advertising within to customers whose behavior indicates that they are interested in a particular subject area.
Automatically Collected Information
Information about your computer hardware and software may be automatically collected by . This information can include: your IP address, browser type, domain names, access times and referring website addresses. This information is used for the operation of the service, to maintain quality of the service, and to provide general statistics regarding use of the website.
Use of Cookies
The website may use "cookies" to help you personalize your online experience. A cookie is a text file that is placed on your hard disk by a web page server. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. Cookies are uniquely assigned to you, and can only be read by a web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you.
One of the primary purposes of cookies is to provide a convenience feature to save you time. The purpose of a cookie is to tell the Web server that you have returned to a specific page. For example, if you personalize pages, or register with site or services, a cookie helps to recall your specific information on subsequent visits. This simplifies the process of recording your personal information, such as billing addresses, shipping addresses, and so on. When you return to the same website, the information you previously provided can be retrieved, so you can easily use the features that you customized.
You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of the services or websites you visit.
Links
This website contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of any other site that collects personally identifiable information.
Security of your Personal Information
secures your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. uses the following methods for this purpose:
| - | SSL Protocol |
| - |
We strive to take appropriate security measures to protect against unauthorized access to or alteration of your personal information. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet or any wireless network can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, you acknowledge that: (a) there are security and privacy limitations inherent to the Internet which are beyond our control; and (b) security, integrity, and privacy of any and all information and data exchanged between you and us through this Site cannot be guaranteed.
Right to Deletion
Subject to certain exceptions set out below, on receipt of a verifiable request from you, we will:
| • | Delete your personal information from our records; and |
| • | Direct any service providers to delete your personal information from their records. |
Please note that we may not be able to comply with requests to delete your personal information if it is necessary to:
| • | Complete the transaction for which the personal information was collected, fulfill the terms of a written warranty or product recall conducted in accordance with federal law, provide a good or service requested by you, or reasonably anticipated within the context of our ongoing business relationship with you, or otherwise perform a contract between you and us; |
| • | Detect security incidents, protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity; or prosecute those responsible for that activity; |
| • | Debug to identify and repair errors that impair existing intended functionality; |
| • | Exercise free speech, ensure the right of another consumer to exercise his or her right of free speech, or exercise another right provided for by law; |
| • | Comply with the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act; |
| • | Engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific, historical, or statistical research in the public interest that adheres to all other applicable ethics and privacy laws, when our deletion of the information is likely to render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of such research, provided we have obtained your informed consent; |
| • | Enable solely internal uses that are reasonably aligned with your expectations based on your relationship with us; |
| • | Comply with an existing legal obligation; or |
| • | Otherwise use your personal information, internally, in a lawful manner that is compatible with the context in which you provided the information. |
Children Under Thirteen
Disconnecting your Account from Third Party Websites
You will be able to connect your account to third party accounts. BY CONNECTING YOUR ACCOUNT TO YOUR THIRD PARTY ACCOUNT, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE CONSENTING TO THE CONTINUOUS RELEASE OF INFORMATION ABOUT YOU TO OTHERS (IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS ON THOSE THIRD PARTY SITES). IF YOU DO NOT WANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOU, INCLUDING PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION, TO BE SHARED IN THIS MANNER, DO NOT USE THIS FEATURE. You may disconnect your account from a third party account at any time.
Opt-Out & Unsubscribe from Third Party Communications
We respect your privacy and give you an opportunity to opt-out of receiving announcements of certain information. Users may opt-out of receiving any or all communications from third-party partners of by contacting us here:
- Web page:
- Email:
- Phone:
E-mail Communications
From time to time, may contact you via email for the purpose of providing announcements, promotional offers, alerts, confirmations, surveys, and/or other general communication. In order to improve our Services, we may receive a notification when you open an email from or click on a link therein.
External Data Storage Sites
We may store your data on servers provided by third party hosting vendors with whom we have contracted.
Changes to this Statement
reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you about significant changes in the way we treat personal information by sending a notice to the primary email address specified in your account, by placing a prominent notice on our , and/or by updating any privacy information. Your continued use of the and/or Services available after such modifications will constitute your: (a) acknowledgment of the modified Privacy Policy; and (b) agreement to abide and be bound by that Policy.
Contact Information
welcomes your questions or comments regarding this Statement of Privacy. If you believe that has not adhered to this Statement, please contact at:
,
Email Address:
Telephone number:
Effective as of
Final Checklist for Online Privacy Policy
Make It Legal
| _____ | Look over the Privacy Policy to ensure it matches your intentions. If you need to make changes to the Policy outside of the interview, you will be able to make changes online or in Word format in the Document Manager at the end of the process. |
| _____ | Post a copy of the Privacy Policy to your . Copy the text from the Document Manager and paste it in the appropriate location on your website. |
Copies
| _____ | Keep a copy of all documents for your own records and in case there is a problem. |
| _____ | You can use Rocket Lawyer to store your Privacy Policy. Safe and secure in your Rocket Lawyer account, you can access it any time from any computer, as well as share it for future reference. |
About Privacy Policies
Learn about how to inform website users of collection of private data
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What to keep in mind to better protect your users’ personal information
A privacy policy should explain the information collection practices of a business before any personal information is collected. This is so your users feel like their information is secure when using your website – and there are a few specific measures one can take to ensure this. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Protecting sensitive information
While some data can be used to improve your users’ experience, some data should be kept private at all times. But how? Encryption is a widely used security measure that allows businesses to protect personal information that is shared between a user and a website. Your website should take reasonable steps to ensure that any sensitive information collected is secure and protected from unauthorized use.
Your company may have a formal privacy compliance certification or be subject to international laws or regulations, in which case you may need to provide more detailed information or specific disclosures. If this applies to you, reach out to an attorney in the Rocket Lawyer network attorney to learn about your specific requirements.
When is it alright to share some data?
A business may share a customer's payment information with a third party to process and deliver purchases. Your website may display advertisements from other businesses using internet technology, such as website cookies, instead of the user's personally identifiable information. Your company may use the information provided by a user to customize the promotions you offer, or improve the quality of your products and services.
Whatever the case may be, your Online Privacy Policy should explain how your company manages the information a user or customer shares on your website.
Special measures to protect children
If your website serves or knowingly collects information about children under 13, it is recommended that your website include its data collection practices for children on the homepage and wherever you collect personal information. The statement should include:
- What information is collected from children.
- How the website uses this information
- The disclosure practices for this information.
The statement should also express that using your website requires parental consent.
This is required so that your website complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a federal law that protects children under the age of 13.
State specific laws
Some states may have different laws regarding people’s personal information and it’s always good to take that into account when building your Online Privacy Policy. For example, California law requires that users are told what information is being collected about them, either before or at the time that the information is collected. Users must be specifically informed what categories of information will be collected during their use of your site so they have the opportunity to make an informed decision to opt-out of the collection of information if they wish.
Opting-out
Last but not least, it is recommended that your company give users an opportunity to control how their personal information is used. By opting-out, a user may restrict the use of their personal data for certain purposes, which can contribute to making them feel more confident when browsing your website.
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What are cookies and how are they related to my website’s Privacy Policy?
Cookies are small text files placed on a user's computer when they access a website. Most website operators place cookies on the browser or hard drive of a user's computer. They are used to make the user's web experience faster, convenient and personalized. For example, you can select a language to view a website the first time you visit it. When you visit the website again, the website can read the cookie to display the site in the language you previously selected.
The law protects users of your website and requires that they give their consent for you to use cookies on their website browser. Users must use ‘affirmative action’ to consent. This means that they must actually do something to consent (like click a checkbox).
Your users should also be given clear and comprehensive information about the types of cookies being used and their purpose in your Privacy Policy. Examples of the types of cookies include:
- Strictly Necessary - to remember the user.
- Analytical - to analyze how users use the website.
- Functional - to identify computers.
- Targeting - to show users relevant advertisements.
Depending on the specifics of your situation, you may want to make a separate Cookie Policy in addition to your Privacy Policy.
Privacy Policy FAQs
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Does my website need a Privacy Policy?
A website’s Privacy Policy is a legal document that communicates your business’ data protection practices to your customers and other visitors to your website. Any e-commerce website will collect personal data about its customers in order to process sales, for example, customers’ names, street address, email address, and credit card details. Therefore, compliance with data protection laws (which dictate how personal data can be used) is essential.
Making a Privacy Policy can help your business to do this. It can:
- Help your business comply with its obligation to process data fairly and with the legal requirement to obtain users’ consent to the processing of their personal data.
- Reassure online customers and website users that their data is protected.
- Ensure that you have permission to store cookies on the users’ computers.
In short, it's essential if you’d like to avoid potential disputes.
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What should a Privacy Policy include?
A Privacy Policy is designed to provide users with information about how their personal data is collected, used, and shared. A good Privacy Policy should include the following elements:
- What information is collected.
- How user information is used.
- Whether the company shares user data.
- Details surrounding the storage and maintenance of user data.
- Changes to the Privacy Policy.
- How to update user information.
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Can you write your own Privacy Policy?
Yes, you can make a customized Privacy Policy using Rocket Lawyer. Just answer a few questions and Rocket Lawyer builds your document for you. Take a look at these questions before you start. Doing so can help make the process easier:
- Does the website collect contact or payment information from users?
- What information does the website collect from visitors?
- Does the website collect demographic information about its visitors, such as age or gender? If so, what demographic information does the website collect from visitors?
- Does the website use more advanced methods of studying user behavior, such as tracking mouse movements?
You might encounter some questions that you can't answer without more research. No problem! You can skip those questions, save your document, and come back later to finish it.
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Do I need a lawyer to write a Privacy Policy?
No, you do not need a lawyer to write a Privacy Policy. You can create a Privacy Policy through Rocket Lawyer for free and in just a few minutes. Rocket Lawyer members can have a Rocket Lawyer network attorney review their Privacy Policy and other legal documents as part of their membership.
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What should be included in a Privacy Policy that is GDPR compliant?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a law designed to protect the data and privacy of EU citizens. Any company that transacts with EU citizens must comply with GDPR laws. Privacy Policies that are compliant with GDPR will inform the user of:
- Who the data controller and data protection officer (if applicable) is and their contact information.
- The legal basis for processing data.
- Whether data is used to make automated decisions.
- Whether data is transferred internationally.
- The users' 8 rights under GDPR:
- The right to be informed.
- The right of access.
- The right to rectification.
- The right to erasure.
- The right to restrict processing.
- The right to data portability.
- The right to object.
- Rights in relation to automated decision making.
If you are unsure whether your website is required to comply with the GDPR, reach out to a Rocket Lawyer network attorney for affordable legal advice.
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