Privacy Policy Updates – New California Privacy Act

Oct 01, 2019

The primary function of a Privacy Policy is to state which types of personal data is collected from your website and how your business uses this information. If you are collecting email addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, medical information etc. Australian privacy legislation requires your website to have a Privacy Policy.

With Australia’s privacy regulations being some of the strictest in the world you may already be meeting the minimum legal standards for most English-speaking countries provided it complies with the GDPR requirements for EU and UK residents which came into effect in May 2018 - https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-guidance-for-organisations-and-government-agencies/more-guidance/australian-entities-and-the-european-union-general-data-protection-regulation

If you are an Australian business your Privacy Policy must comply with the Australian Privacy Act and if you do business with customers in other countries you will want to comply with their privacy policies as well.

As each country’s privacy laws can vary, it pays to be on top of any changes or updates to these laws to make sure your business complies with the latest regulations. The new California Consumer Privacy Act which comes into effect on January 1, 2020 may mean that an update to your Privacy Policy is required as it can affect all website, mobile app, and SaaS owners who collect information about Californian consumers, regardless of what state or country they are located in - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Consumer_Privacy_Act

Some businesses or companies may need a lawyer to draft a specific Privacy Policy depending on where and what information is collected. Alternatively, there are generic Privacy Policies which can be downloaded from businesses that specialise in legal documents such as this. A generic Privacy Policy will cover most businesses in most cases but it may be wise to have your lawyer review your Privacy Policy for peace of mind.

Your Privacy Policy is an opportunity to assure your website visitors or customers that you are a reputable business that cares about the security of their personal information. If you’re not sure about the Privacy Policy on your website email us or give us a call on 02 4975 3954 and we can point you in the right direction.

Here’s a few links to businesses that provide Privacy Policies online…
https://legal123.com.au
https://legalvision.com.au
https://lawpath.com.au