traverselegal - January 30, 2015 - Internet Law, Website Privacy Policy Contract
Google has agreed to better inform users about how it handles their personal information after an investigation by Britain’s data protection regulator found its privacy policy was too vague. Most website owners pay little attention to their Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Website agreements are not only critical for website owners, since it sets for the basic terms and contract rights between the website owner and its visitors and registered users, but there are laws which require website owners and operators to tell visitors what personal identifiable information (PII) and non-PII is being collected, as well as how it is being used.
The tussle between Google and Europe’s data protection regulators began after the company took a new approach in March 2012 to consolidate some 70 existing privacy policies into one. It also began to pool data collected on individual users across its services, including YouTube, Gmail and its social network Google+, giving users no way to opt out.
Chances are, your privacy policy drafting needs review and updating. Our internet lawyers can help you make sure your privacy policy complies with US laws, and foreign privacy laws to the extent you do business in those jurisdictions. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about Privacy Policies.
A privacy policy is a statement or a legal document that discloses some or all of the ways a party gathers, uses, discloses and manages a customer or client’s data. Personal information can be anything that can be used to identify an individual, not limited to but including name, address, date of birth, marital status, contact information, ID issue and expiry date, financial records, credit information, medical history, where one travels, and intentions to acquire goods and services. In the case of a business it is often a statement that declares a party’s policy on how it collects, stores, and releases personal information it collects. It informs the client what specific information is collected, and whether it is kept confidential, shared with partners, or sold to other firms or enterprises.
An internet attorney can help you navigate tricky privacy issues and create a better user experience for your website.
