For this blog, I was approached by the team at Law to provide a blog for my followers. With the topic being privacy policies I thought it would be a great opportunity to receive quality legal information of what is legally required when you have a small business website and why you should have a privacy policy. Many thanks to Law Path for providing this blog and I hope you find it interesting and also ensure that your privacy policy is both available and up to date. Kelly – My Sassy Business
Do you need a privacy policy
Perhaps the thought of getting a privacy policy for your business doesn’t inspire you as much as actually running the business does. That’s understandable, and business owners often are deterred by the legal nitty-gritty that comes with going out on your own. Although it’s not illegal to be without a privacy policy, this article will explain why it’s in your best interests to have one.
Operating a website
We all know that the internet is one vast information hub. Yet, even though every website contains information, they also collect a large amount of information from users. This is particularly true for businesses which operate online. Business who sell online capture details of the customer purchasing, as well as their financial details. You will notice that most websites that collect any sort of information have a privacy policy and require that the user consent to disclosing this information to the site.
It’s simple if you run a website for your business you should have a privacy policy.
Customer information
The information that customers provide to businesses is invaluable for marketing and production purposes. However, you want to ensure that this information isn’t misused and that you’re protected if this information becomes corrupted in any way. There have been a number of instances where large customer databases have been hacked into. If you collect large amounts of customer data, you will also be legally required to let your customers know.
Fostering trust
People take their privacy very seriously. There’s a reason why privacy laws have been so widely publicised lately – because people have realised just how much information they give away online. If your business has a privacy policy that customers can easily read, they will feel secure knowing your business takes their concerns seriously.
As part of your customer service, being proactive in protecting your customers’ privacy will also be good for your business’s reputation.
Privacy laws are in a constant state of change
Privacy laws are constantly changing, due to the ways in which information can be exchanged and social views. It’s always a better option to keep up with policies and general views on privacy as they are now, rather than have to continually change your processes in the future.
Many countries in the world now legally require that a website operated for commercial purposes have a privacy policy. This includes some states of the United States, Canada, the European Union and India – amongst others. Subsequently, it won’t be surprising if Australia follows suit in the future.
Having a privacy policy, although not legally required for most small businesses, is generally expected by consumers and the general public. Businesses need to keep up to date with customer concerns and there’s no doubt that when it comes to online shopping, the biggest concern is privacy.
About blog contributor: LawPath is Australia’s leading provider of online legal services for businesses and individuals, providing technology powered legal solutions at a fraction of the time, cost and complexity of the traditional system.
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