Legal notices, like privacy policies, cookie notifications, and terms of service, are often an afterthought when creating the content of a website. However, neglecting to give readers the right information can actually get you in serious legal trouble no matter how fun writing blog posts can be. Chances are you’re thinking that only websites that are handling social security numbers, credit card numbers, or sensitive data really need that privacy policy or giants like Facebook and Google.
How Important Is Taking Online Privacy Seriously?
In reality, many countries around the world with modern laws for data privacy have placed rules when it comes to handling any information that can be used to identify an individual. In fact, in many jurisdictions, you’re required by law to inform your audience about certain policies and facts of your website. It’s true even if you only utilize browser cookies for getting traffic analytics, display several Google Ads on your website, or collect email addresses and names for your newsletter.
If you only use Privacy Policy based on a generic template that doesn’t even reflect your policies accurately, or if you don’t have Privacy Policy at all, legal action from your government or from your website visitors could be threatening you. As such, you might end up spending a significant amount of money on huge legal fees or fines. If you become so unlucky, you could even end up facing jail time.
So, why take the risk when you can actually save yourself the expense, time, and trouble of legal consequences by taking online privacy seriously? All you need is to get up to speed regarding the privacy policy laws of your country.
Privacy Laws By Country:
The data protection or information privacy laws of your country generally include laws regarding requirements for the privacy policy for websites. These laws govern how private individual information can be used.
Here’s an overview of privacy laws in some countries around the world:
Australia
A collection of up to 13 principles that guide personal information handling are contained in Australia’s Privacy Principles or APP. You must be managing personal information in a way that’s both open and transparent according to these principles. It means having an up-to-date and clear Privacy Policy about how you actually manage personal information.
According to Australian law, Privacy Policy needs to state in detail how and why you’re collecting information, how individuals can both access and correct their information, the consequences for not giving personal information, and how individuals can voice out their complaints about any breach of the principles. However, the breach of the APP is prevalent in Australia, that’s why many Australians use VPN services to improve privacy. Online resources like Security Gladiators help not only Australians but everyone around the world in picking the best VPN for them.
Canada
Canada’s PIPEDA or Personal Information Protection and Electronic Data Act governs how people can act in collecting, storing, and using information about online users in the course of their commercial activity. Website owners must make information regarding their privacy policies available to customers publicly, according to the act.
France
The main law protecting France’s data privacy is the DPA or Data Protection Act of 1978. It was last revised in 2004. When used for sending messages electronically or online, the Postal and Electronic Communications Code touches on personal data collection as well. The rules apply to anyone who’s carrying out its activities within an establishment that’s located in France or anyone who’s located in France and collecting data.
Webmasters must obtain the subject’s consent before processing any personal data automatically. To protect online safety, website owners should also inform the subjects of the data controller’s identity and address, as well as the processing’s purpose, time duration the data, will continue to be kept, how the data will be secured, and who specifically can access the data.
India
The Information Technology Act in India states clearly that every online business or platform must have a detailed Privacy Policy published on their websites. It applies whether or not the website deals with sensitive personal data. Security practices used for protecting the data, any third party the data might be disclosed to, the data’s purpose, and what data is collected must all be described in the Privacy Policy.
South Africa
The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of South Africa applies to any collected personal data through electronic transmissions. It includes information collected through a website. The act requires the disclosure in writing of the specific data collection purpose to the subject.
Final Thoughts:
In today’s age of information, respecting the website users’ privacy rights and the importance of personal data is important. Transparency on how data is collected and protected won’t only keep website owners out of legal trouble, it will also keep Internet users safe online. Hopefully, the discussion above has helped you understand how online privacy works around the world.
Thanks for reading. If you have further queries, just comment below. I will be happy to help. Don’t forget to join our Telegram Channel for the latest tech updates. I will be back soon with another interesting post. Keep visiting HiTricks.
Nirmal Sarkar is a Biotechnologist from the city of Joy, Kolkata. He is the founder of this blog and covers a wide range of topics from Gadgets to Software to Latest Offers. You can get in touch with him via nirmal@hitricks.com
