If your website collects any data from visitors, you almost certainly need a privacy policy. Here is what you need to know about requirements and how your analytics choices affect them.

Who Needs a Privacy Policy?

Essentially every website that interacts with visitors. If you collect email addresses, use analytics, have contact forms, or process payments, a privacy policy is required.

What Must a Privacy Policy Include?

Identity of the data controller, types of data collected, purpose of collection, legal basis, third parties who receive data, data retention periods, data transfers outside the EU, visitor rights, and contact information.

Under CCPA

Categories of personal information collected, business purposes, whether you sell or share information, and how consumers can opt out.

How Analytics Affects Your Privacy Policy

Your privacy policy must disclose cookie usage, specific data collected, third-party processing, opt-out options, legal basis, and retention periods. You must also implement a consent banner.

Cookieless, Privacy-First Analytics

Disclose that you use analytics for aggregate statistics, explain what aggregate data is collected, note that no personal data or cookies are used. No consent banner typically needed.

Writing Your Privacy Policy

Keep It Human-Readable

GDPR requires "clear and plain language."

Be Specific

Generic templates do not meet GDPR requirements. List exactly what you collect.

Keep It Current

Update whenever you add new tools or change data collection practices.

Reducing Privacy Policy Complexity

The simplest way to simplify your privacy policy is to simplify your data collection. Every third-party tool you add creates another section and another compliance issue.