Why do you feel like you’re constantly updating your company privacy policy? Probably because you are. With new regulations like GDPR, cookie deprecation, regulated app tracking between social platforms, COPPA, and more, your privacy policy is no longer “set it and forget it.”
Consumers care more about security, so they demand that organizations prioritize data protection, activity tracking, and privacy. 80% of Americans claim online privacy is a top concern, and 86% say they’ve tried to reduce their digital footprint.
What Is a Privacy Policy?
A privacy policy is a “statement or legal document that discloses some or all of the ways a party gathers, uses, discloses, and manages a customer or client’s data.” For your company’s website, a privacy policy details terms and conditions, how the company handles a user’s personal data, and any other information like third-party sharing. A privacy policy includes a 360-degree view of your compliance with national and international regulations.
When Should You Update Your Company’s Privacy Policy?
New Laws and Regulations
This might seem like a no-brainer, but you should always update your privacy policy to reflect the latest changes in government regulations. It’s a simple step, but you don’t want to gather personal user data without disclosing what you’re doing with it. New governmental changes emerge all the time, so staying on top of the latest cybersecurity news is key.
New Products or Services
New products or services might require updating your company’s privacy policy. If you launch a product to a new audience, especially if it applies to children, different regulations like the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) might come into play. If you’re launching a service in a new geographical market, different countries might require stricter privacy constraints.
Change in Data Plan
Maybe your own company is driving the change. If you choose to modify how you process, store, or manage personal data, it warrants a change to your privacy policy. A privacy policy should be a living, breathing document that you alter as your organization’s structure and business operations shift. You might legally be required to update customers about your change in usage, and you’ll want to keep the latest information published, so you’re never caught unaware.
How to Easily Change Your Privacy Policy With Google Docs Templates
With free privacy policy templates in Google Docs, you’ll save time and energy with a pre-built privacy description. Quickly make changes that are relevant to your business since the bulk of the work was done for you. They are also an effective tool for automatic material creation. Since a privacy policy is updated so often, you’ll have a single source of truth you can quickly edit. As privacy continues to be a rising concern for consumers, IT leaders, professionals, and companies everywhere, online security will become more top-of-mind for online businesses.
Free Google Docs templates of any kind make key processes in your business faster, more streamlined, and more consistent. Also, a privacy policy template from cloudHQ allows you to make on-the-go adjustments right in Google Docs.