BRIEF OPENING
Suppose you’re a business owner with a website that has a chart listing your services versus competitors, perhaps purchasable items are available, written health advice from a blog post, or a fundraising form for money donations.
Chances are you will need to add legal policies somewhere on your site that explain to users why you are not liable for any wrongdoing, how you intend to utilize people’s data, health advice that may work for some and not for others, and product refund rules.
Protection is the key factor here for any website. We’ll dive in and explain why data extraction has become so prevalent and how you can apply policies to your website to prevent fines and lawsuits against your business.
Do note, that I am not a lawyer and that I am nearly sharing my knowledge from past experiences. Please do thorough research on your end or reach out to your attorney if you have legal questions.
COLLECTIONS ARE EVERYWHERE
You’re wondering, where would you be collecting their data. Well to start, just by visiting your website, you are effectively collecting data from your users. Tracking location, page counts, and duration of stay. These are some of the basic SEO methods employed by Google Analytics, as one example.
Another vehicle of data collection is forms. We use them all the time when we subscribe to newsletters, purchase products, fill out surveys, transactional exchanges with currency.
Data is collected from the typical input fields such as first name, last name, email address, phone number, address, IP address, and credit card information. All examples are regulated data that your state, district, region, or country may require you to disclose even before the user clicks the submit button.
SIDE EFFECTS OF DATA COLLECTION
It’s the digital age and connections with our devices will continue to intertwine with our personal lives more and more. There’s no way to get around it. Because of this, everything is prone to hacking.
If you Google anything on hacked sites or data breaches, you will find more than enough dark holes to read into about the horrors of lost or stolen information. This is why you should keep your website updated with the latest software versions and policies.
If a user visits a site without certain protection policies set in place, I would be hesitant about interacting with that site because they are not disclosing where my information is going.
FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
Now, about those regulated data rulings based on your location around the globe. I won’t go over every single law in the rule book. That would be far too much reading. Instead, I will list some of the key policies that you’ll need on a website. Major laws to be aware of and where to find the policies that fit your business website’s needs.
Privacy Policy:
Privacy policy is a legal document that outlines how a website collects, uses, shares, and protects the personal information of its users. It typically includes details about what data is collected, how it’s stored, who it’s shared with, and user’s rights. Transparency is of the utmost importance.
Cookie Policy:
A cookie policy explains how cookies are used on the site. It typically includes information about what cookies are, how they’re used, what types of cookies are used (such as functional, analytical, or advertising cookies), and if a user can opt in or out of cookie tracking.
Terms of Service:
A terms of service (TOS) agreement is a set of guidelines for using a website or service. Typically, it covers aspects such as user rights and responsibilities, acceptable use of the service, limitations of liability, dispute resolution mechanisms, and intellectual property rights.
Disclaimer:
Disclaimer statements limit the legal liability of a website or service provider of the information provided on their website. Clarify the information provided is for general purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice.
EULA:
An End-User License Agreement (EULA) is a legal contract between the creator of a piece of software and the end user. Basic outlines include the use of the software, the rights and limitations of distribution, warranty disclaimers, and liability limitations.
CONCLUSION
Be clear about your intentions with other’s data. By having the policies up front, you are providing your audience with a safer piece of mind. This way both you and your users will be protected from fines and lawsuits.
Now that you have a basic understanding as to why you need these policies on your website, you may be thinking about where to go to find the policies and implement them on the website. The one I’ve used on my site is from Termageddon. They provide extensive policy content that can be applied to any business. When policies change, you’ll get a notification as to when you need to change yours.
Documentations from Termageddon are pretty straightforward. But if you have any questions about which policies to choose or need help implementing the code onto your site, let’s have a chat!