What You Need To Do Now – How Current Is Your Business Website’s Privacy Policy?

Is your Website’s Privacy Policy up to date? Do you even have one on your Website?

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May 25th, GDPR goes into effect. This is the European Union’s (EU) new, super strict customer data transparency regulations.

So what? Who cares?

That GDPR is all about Europe, and doesn’t apply to me and my business here in Kansas City.

Guess what folks, the spirit of GDPR is going to heavily impact all businesses across the globe, and your local Website’s Privacy Policy needs to be immediately modified to reflect the “Spirit” of what the GDPR is putting into law in the EU.

You can rest assured that the first lawsuits are coming by American Consumers against local Kansas City companies who don’t follow the spirit of what the GDPR is attempting to accomplish for “All” Website consumers.

The Spirit of GDPR is all about #1, letting people know the specific way that data is being collected about them while they surf the Internet.

With that said, I’ve broken out below what is the Spirit of the GDPR Regulations, and what you should be doing now to update your Privacy Policy!

Spirit #1 – Are you collecting “any” information about your Website visitors? 

1. If you are using Google Analytics on your Website. The answer is yes you are collecting data about them.
2. If you have an email sign-up form. The answer is yes you are collecting data about them.
3. If you have a contact us form. The answer is yes you are collecting data about them.
4. Do you have white paper downloads that require an email address? The answer is yes you are collecting data about them.
5. If you have an eCommerce site. The answer is yes you are collecting data about them.
6. If you have survey questions on your site. The answer is yes you are collecting data about them.
7. Do you have anything on your Website that collects any type of data. The answer is yes you are collecting data about them.

If you answer yes to any of these things above, you need to immediately modify your Website Privacy Policy and tell people that you are collecting their information.

Seems kind of dumb that you have to spell it out, but think about the fact that McDonald’s has to put “This cup contains hot liquid” on their coffee cups.

Spirit #2 – Permission

Did you ask permission to collect their information?

When customers fill out the email sign-up form, contact us form, or other data collection points on your Website, does it remind them that you are collecting their information?  Again, seems kind of dumb, but you need to get their permission before collecting any information.

Spirit #3 – Transparency Communications

So if you answered yes to any of the questions in #1, then customers, at any time can contact your company and ask you to provide them with details of the information you collected about them.  They have the right to contact you, ask what you are collecting, and then as much as possible they need control of removing that data from you if they desire. (This one is very hard BTW)

Spirit #4 – Data Reuse

Your Privacy Policy needs to spell out exactly what you plan to do with the data collected. Are you going to use it for marketing of other services to them? Are you going use the data to provide a better customer Website use experience? Are you going to use the data to help your company internally with it’s processes. Are you going to use the data to help you with your collections efforts. Are you going to give their information to someone else. You have to spell out exactly how you plan to use their data in your Privacy Policy.

Spirit #5 – Data Security

So you have their data, what are you specifically doing to protect their data? Do you have it in Excel spreadsheets? Did you copy it into another program, like Mailchimp? Are these 3rd party locations protecting the data. How are they protecting the data? You need to tell people exactly what you are doing to protect their data.

Think about this, folks. Do you have your client’s information in the contact list on your phone? Do you have a password on your phone?

This data protection stuff is about to go to a whole new level of craziness. If you don’t have a Privacy Policy in place, you need to get one asap.

What do you do first?

Answer these questions.

1. Are using Google Analytics on your Website?
2. Do you have an email sign-up form on your Website?
3. Do you have a contact us form on your Website?
4. Do you have white paper downloads that require an email address?
5. Do you have an eCommerce site? Can people pay money to you on your Website?
6. Do you have survey questions on your Website?
7. Do you have anything on your Website that collects any type of data?

If you answer yes to any of these, then you need as soon as possible to update your Website’s Privacy Policy to reflect all the spirit of the items 2 thru 5 above.

Another really good idea might be to contact your business attorney, once you updated your Privacy Policy, and have them do a review.

If you are dealing with EU customers, you need to be working on 1 thru 5 above starting months ago. Don’t wait any longer.

If you are not dealing with EU customers, start working now on steps 1 thru 5 above now. Get ahead of the lawsuit potential data security, privacy fines that are coming.

KC Web Specialists will be glad to come in and consult with your company, and help you develop and write an updated Privacy Policy for your business.

Please contact us at info@kcwebspecialists.com or call us at (913) 489-7866 if you need help with your Website Privacy Policies.

KC Web Specialists are your Kansas City experts in Web Design, SEO, Pay-Per-Click, and we are WordPress Web Designer pros.