How To Add A Privacy Policy In WordPress?

A privacy policy is a legal requirement. No matter whether you are a blogger or you run a corporate website if you are operating in a country where it is mandatory, you need to publish it on your site.

A privacy policy ensures that you take users’ consent for collecting and processing their personal data. It also makes it clear that you agree to the terms and conditions of accessing the personal data of the citizens as defined by the law. 

If you are seeking guidance about creating a privacy policy in WordPress, you are in the right place. In this article, we will give you a step-by-step guide on creating a privacy policy. 

What is a Privacy Policy? 

A privacy policy is a legal agreement between two parties that discloses the ways in which one party can access the other party’s data. In other words, it is a document that carries a set of rules or terms and conditions that you will follow while using your users’ personal data.  In the context of a website, it discloses how the operators of the site will collect, store, and utilize the personal data of its visitors. 

The definition of personal data usually includes:

• The names of the users, their addresses (physical or e-mail) 
• IP addresses, telephone numbers, date of birth
• Financial information, for example, debit or credit card details.

Three Reasons Why You Need To Add Privacy Policy to WordPress Website?

• Required by the law: The most crucial reason you need a privacy policy is that it requires it. If you are using your users’ personal information, you must have a well-defined privacy policy and publish it on your website. 
  The framework varies from region to region. You need to form your policy based on the guidelines set by the administration in your area of operation. If you are dealing with the personal data of EU citizens, you have to follow GDPR. If you are operating in California or using the citizens’ personal information, you will fall under CCPA.   

• Required by many third-party services: Many third-party services require you to publish a privacy policy on your website. If you want to use these services, you need to publish a privacy policy first. The most common services that require privacy policy are – Google Analytics, Facebook Apps, Twitter, etc.  

• Users’ trust: Having a well-defined privacy policy on your site increases users’ trust. Users feel safe sharing their personal data. Because they know that it will be protected and they will be informed if shared further with some other person, they may also request the deletion of their data.  

What to Include in a Privacy Policy?

Though the content requirement of a privacy policy varies from country to country, there are some general details that every privacy policy should have. 

Things you Need to Include in your Privacy Policy

A privacy policy should clearly outline how user data is collected, stored, and used on your website. While specific legal requirements vary by country, here are the key elements every privacy policy should include:

• Information Collected: Specify what personal data you collect, such as names, email addresses, IP addresses, and payment details.
• Collection Methods: Explain how this data is gathered, whether through forms, cookies, analytics tools, or third-party services.
• Third-Party Involvement: Disclose any third-party services, such as advertisers or analytics platforms, that may collect or process user data.
• Advertising and Tracking: If your site uses advertising programs, include links to their privacy policies and inform users how they can opt out of targeted ads.
• Cookie Usage: Clarify how your website uses cookies and allow users to manage or disable them.
• User Rights & Control: Inform users of their rights, including data access, correction, deletion, and opting out of data collection.
• Contact Information: Provide precise contact details so users can reach out regarding privacy concerns.

How to Add a Privacy Policy for Free?

There are various ways to create a privacy policy in WordPress, including getting legal professional help. Another alternative to avoid the cost and efforts involved instead of legal help is the WP Legal Pages plugin.

WP Legal Pages is a WordPress plugin that allows you to create attorney-level privacy policies on your website. The plugin comes with many rich features to make your site compliant with the privacy policies of different countries without any coding knowledge. 

Let’s now understand how to create a privacy policy using WP Legal Pages plugin:

Step 1: Install the WP Legal Pages Plugin

To set up the WP Legal Pages plugin, navigate to your WordPress Dashboard and select Plugins > Add New.

Next, use the search bar to find WPLegalPages.

Once you’ve located the plugin, click on the Install Now button.

After the installation, activate the WP Legal Pages plugin by clicking the Activate button.

Step 2: Configuring WP Legal Pages Plugin

After activating the plugin, you can access it directly from the Dashboard.

To start creating your legal pages, simply navigate to your Dashboard, click on WPLegalPages, and then click Accept.

Step 3: Creating an Account

To generate a Privacy Policy for your website, start by clicking on Create Legal Page from the WP Legal Pages menu.

After that, you’ll see four templates available in the free version. Click on Create.

After you select Create, a window will show up prompting you to make a new account. Choose “New? Create a free account” if you don’t have one yet, or select “Connect your existing account” if you’re already a user.

After Sign Up, your account will link to your site, and you can begin generating legal pages for your website.

You’ve completed the account creation process and can begin working on your website’s Legal Pages.

Step 4: Creating Privacy Policy

In the free version, there are currently four templates accessible. Select the option for Standard Privacy Policy to generate a privacy policy for your website.

Fill in the Basic Details and proceed by clicking Next.

Select the relevant sections for your legal policy, and then click Next to continue.

And your Privacy Policy Template Preview is ready.

Step 5: Customizing your Privacy Policy

To edit or add more information to your privacy policy, simply click on the Create and Edit option.

Once you’ve made the necessary changes, click on Publish. Your data privacy statement will be ready in seconds.

Where to Include a Privacy Policy?

Where you will add your privacy policy on your site completely depends on your choice.   You can add a privacy policy to the following areas on your website – 

• Footer or Sidebar 
• Email subscription form 
• Contact form 
• Cookie consent popup 

FAQ

Conclusion 

I hope we can provide you with some valuable information about how to create a privacy policy page in WordPress. But what we have given here is just a road map. Every country has its privacy laws.

You first need to know the laws of the area you are operating in. Then, accordingly, create your WordPress privacy policy.    

Further, if you liked this article, you can also consider reading:

• AI-Generated Privacy Policy: Are They Harming Your Website?
• EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF) – A Complete Guide
• 9-Step GDPR Compliance Checklist You Need To Follow

Grab the WP Legal Pages Compliance Platform now!