Learn about privacy laws and requirements throughout the world. Find the related blog article here: https://termsfeed.com/blog/privacy-policy-mandatory-law/

1. Privacy Policies are
mandatory by law

2. If your website or mobile app collects
personally identifying information from
users, you are legally required (1) to
have a Privacy Policy.
(1) Link to https://termsfeed.com/blog/privacy-policy-mandatory-law/

3. For purposes of privacy law, “personally identifying information”
is any information that can be used to identify someone
including but not limited to the following:
Email addresses
First and last names
Location, such as city or town plus country
Shipping or billing addresses
Social security numbers

4. USA
CANADA UK
EU
AUSTRALIA
A number of countries require you to have a Privacy Policy if
personal information is collected from its citizens, including:

5. The United States
USAUSA

6. The FTC requires that any website or app that collects and
uses personal information properly informs users about the
collection and use of their personal information.
To comply with this requirement, a Privacy Policy should be
included on your website or mobile app.

7. Some individual states
also have specific
privacy requirements.

8. CalOPPA
California’s Online Privacy Protection
Act (2) requires that commercial
websites or online services that
collect personally identifiable
information about California
residents have a
Privacy Policy available.
USAUSA
(2) Link to https://termsfeed.com/blog/caloppa/

10. Australia
AUSTRALIAAUSTRA

11. Australia
In Australia, the Privacy Act of 1988 (3)
requires that an up-to-date Privacy Policy
is made available whenever personal
information of individuals is collected,
used, or stored.
(3) Link to https://termsfeed.com/blog/australia-privacy-act-1988/

13. The UK
UKUK

14. DPA
In the UK, the Data Protection Act
1988 (4) sets forth requirements
for companies that collect personal
information from users, including
how personal information is to be
collected and processed.
(4) Link to https://termsfeed.com/blog/uk-dpa/

15. In Canada
CANADAANADA

16. PIPEDA
In Canada, the Personal Information
Protection and Electronic Documents
Act (5) requires that companies from
Canada have a Privacy Policy if “any
identifiable information about an
individual” is collected.
(5) Link to https://termsfeed.com/blog/pipeda/

17. In the EU
EUEU

18. GDPR
In the EU, the Data Protection Directive
(6) regulates how personal information
can be collected and managed. It also
requires that a Privacy Policy be made
available when personal information is
collected from users.
Note: The new GDPR Directive may change
some of these requirements in the near
future.
(6) Link to https://termsfeed.com/blog/gdpr/

19. Not only do international laws require you
to have a Privacy Policy, but many popular
third party platforms and services require
one as well.
For example, Google requires that any
website that uses Google Analytics (7)
must have a Privacy Policy in place
(7) Link to https://www.google.com/analytics/
Platforms

21. Apple’s iOS Developer Program License requires that apps
on the Apple App Store provide a link to a Privacy Policy.

22. Your
Privacy Policy

23. Your Privacy Policy should let users know
the following important information:
What types of personal information you collect,
How you collect it,
How you protect it after collection,
If you share the information with any other companies, and
How users can control any of these practices

24. Make your Privacy Policy clear, easy
to read and understand, and very
informative to ensure you’re staying
compliant with legal requirements.