Should the Privacy Policy be posted on the site?

Privacy Policy is a key document that defines the principles of processing, storage and protection of users' personal data. This document is used by organizations, companies and websites to explain how they work with the data they receive from their customers or visitors. The main purpose of the privacy policy is to ensure transparency in the relationship between the user and the company, as well as to respect the rights of users to protect their privacy. According to the current legislation of many countries (for example, the GDPR in the European Union or the Law "On the Protection of Personal Data" ), companies are obliged to obtain the user's clear consent to the processing of his data and to describe in detail the purpose of such processing.

Depending on the jurisdiction, the requirements for the confidentiality agreement may vary. For example, the European GDPR regulation imposes strict obligations on companies, while in the US regulation is more fragmented and depends on the state. In Ukraine, the main regulator is the Law "On the Protection of Personal Data" , which defines the rights of data subjects and the obligations of operators.

The content of the policy can vary depending on the type of company and type of data, but it usually includes the following elements:

• What data is collected: name, email address, phone number, IP address, location information, cookies.
• The document must specify what personal data is used for: to improve the website, send marketing messages, conduct research.
• It explains what measures are taken for the security of information to avoid its unauthorized use or leakage.
• It describes whether the data will be transferred to other companies or organizations, and if so, under what conditions.
• The company must provide contact information that users can contact with any questions.

The privacy policy is not just a formality, but an important document that performs several functions at once:

1. Demonstrating transparency : A privacy policy is a public statement to users about your intentions regarding the collection and processing of their data. It explains that your activity complies with the law and protects you from claims in force majeure situations. A privacy policy is important for both users and companies, as it guarantees the protection of personal data and provides an opportunity to control how it is used. It helps to avoid legal problems and increases trust in the brand.

2. Compliance with the requirements of search engines : in 2022, Google introduced a new site evaluation algorithm - EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). It takes into account security, which largely depends on the availability of legal documents, in particular the Privacy Policy.

So, a Privacy Policy is not only necessary to protect your business, but also to ensure that search engines like Google find your site trustworthy . This not only affects organic traffic, but also generally determines whether a site will be rated as safe.

For sites aimed at a Ukrainian audience, the presence of a Privacy Policy is not yet a strict requirement of the law. However, in the global context, this issue is much more important. Search engines, including Google, expect a website to have a document that explains the processing of user data. Its absence can affect the reputation of the resource and lower its position in the issue. For applications, the requirements are even stricter. Since 2018, the App Store has required developers to publish a Privacy Policy, otherwise their products will be blocked. This change led to a massive removal of non-compliant apps. Google Play also adheres to similar standards.

Therefore, even if the legislation does not require a Privacy Policy, its presence is critical to ensure user trust and compliance with international platforms . It serves as both a security tool and a means of establishing trust between users and organizations.

Templates that may be useful:
- Privacy Policy (English) ;

- Privacy Policy (Ukrainian) ;

- Privacy policy (Ukrainian, Russian, English) ;

- Terms of use of the site (Ukrainian-Russian) ;