A privacy policy page is one of the important steps you should never ignore when you create a website or app. It is necessary for every website to have one, regardless of what the company does.
According to research by addictivetips.com :
- 89% of participants said they are too long;
- 83% said they’d consent whether they read it or not;
- 74% felt they wouldn’t be able to grasp what they were reading.
- 87% of people accept privacy policies without even reading them.
1. Privacy Policy page is required by law
Almost all countries around the world have their own version of data privacy laws. This requires companies to protect and process personal information that passed through them with care.
For instance, the US’s The California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) requires you to “conspicuously post a privacy policy on your website”.
Malaysia, however, has no specific Privacy Act when it comes to protection of personal privacy. However the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) states that “organisations are responsible for personal data in their possession or under their control” under seven key principles: general principle, notice and choice principle, disclosure principle, security principle, retention principle, data security principle, and access principle.
2. Having a privacy policy page builds trust
Transparency is important for potential customers visiting your website. By giving them a clear picture of the hows and whys you process personal data, it makes your clients feel secure and instills a sense of trust in them, essentially putting their lives in your hands. It sounds a little dramatic, but putting personal information online is a risky move for clients.
Hence, it is important to give them a peace of mind when doing any business transaction with you either online or offline. But having a clear and concise Privacy Policy, enforced by the visual of “privacy safe trust seal”, your client will be less hesitant in doing business with you.
3. Keeping the “sweat of your brow”
Relating to the first point, breaking the law is a very messy business (pun intended). Many big companies have suffered due to their questionable Privacy Policies namely SnapChat, Delta Airlines and even Google.
In Malaysia, the popular messaging app Whatsapp’s deeper integration with Facebook has highlighted the issue of data privacy with users exposed to serious flaws in the PDPA.
Although this is the issue of a federal law, it is always beneficial for your team to study the country’s Privacy Policy laws as thoroughly as possible to prevent any potential lawsuits. Just imagine in some countries the fine could be up to millions of dollars with what seems like a simple neglect. In the EU, €20,000,000 fine is what they are prepared to impose for this breach. Not even the company with the deepest pocket will happily part with that amount of zeroes. Staying on the safe side will increase your assets and make more money with the increase in trust and proven credibility of your company.
4. Third-party users
For companies with mobile apps, you have to adhere to policies by companies like Google and Apple. Since they are the main app providers for AndroidOS and iOS respectively, submitting your app to them means you are also tied to third party services like Google Adsense or Google Analytics to display ads or collect website data.
In the Privacy section of Google Analytics Terms of Service :
“…You will have and abide by an appropriate Privacy Policy and will comply with all applicable laws, policies, and regulations relating to the collection of information from Users. You must post a Privacy Policy and that Privacy Policy must provide notice of Your use of cookies, identifiers for mobile devices (e.g., Android Advertising Identifier or Advertising Identifier for iOS) or similar technology used to collect data….”
It is necessary to add Privacy Policy during the app submission process to prevent suspension or worse, rejection of your app in the App Store or Play Store.
Conclusion
While Privacy Policy can be overly long and seems like a “necessary evil”, it is simply a necessary component in your website or app. This is to safeguard personal information of your customers and employees under you. Developing practices unique to your business and country’s rules will ensure long-term success as well as strengthening the credibility of your brand in the eyes of customers.
Interested in taking the first step to increasing your credibility? Reach out to us for our Mobile App Development and Web Design and Development services.
