{"id":17654,"date":"2018-10-31T11:52:38","date_gmt":"2018-10-31T09:52:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/?p=17654"},"modified":"2018-10-31T12:10:00","modified_gmt":"2018-10-31T12:10:00","slug":"wordpress-privacy-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wordpress-privacy-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"WordPress Privacy Policy Guide: How to Create One, Plus What to Include"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lately, it seems like all the talk online has been about privacy, consent for data tracking, and related topics. The introduction of the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has a lot to do with that. Among other things, it\u2019s left many website owners wondering: \u201cHow can I add a WordPress privacy policy to my site?\u201d<\/p>\n

A privacy policy has always been useful, but it\u2019s now a requirement for most sites. You\u2019ll want to be very clear about what data you collect from your visitors, along with how it\u2019s stored and used. Fortunately, putting together this type of policy is now easier than it\u2019s ever been, thanks to a handy new WordPress feature.<\/p>\n

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In this post, we\u2019ll briefly discuss why you need a WordPress privacy policy for your website.<\/p>\n

Then we\u2019ll walk you through how to create one. Let\u2019s jump right in!<\/div><\/div>\n

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\n\t\t \t\tAre you GDPR-compliant? Here's how to create a privacy policy for your #WordPress site<\/a>\n\t\t \t<\/div>\n\t\t \t
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Why your site needs a privacy policy<\/h2>\n

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)<\/a> went into effect not long ago, and made some changes that affect just about every website owner. In fact, if any of your site\u2019s visitors are from the EU, you\u2019ll need to be sure you comply with the GDPR\u2019s rules.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve described how the GDPR works<\/a> at length elsewhere, so we won\u2019t repeat ourselves here. Suffice it to say that this regulation introduces new rules regarding privacy and transparency online. All your website\u2019s visitors now have the right to know what data you\u2019re collecting about them and how it\u2019s used, and even to have their information deleted.<\/p>\n

There are a number of ways you can make your site GDPR-compliant<\/a>. However, perhaps the most important step is putting together a clear WordPress privacy policy:<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

This is how you\u2019ll inform visitors about all the key information they need to know. While it may take a little effort on your part to get your policy just right, the basic steps involved aren\u2019t difficult.<\/p>\n

How to create a website privacy policy in WordPress (in 3 steps)<\/h2>\n
Before we get started here, we need to make a disclaimer. We\u2019re not legal experts, nor are we aiming to provide that sort of advice. What follows is a walk-through on how to put together a privacy policy in WordPress, and some of the elements you\u2019ll want to include. However, you may still want to consult your lawyer or legal team on the finer details.<\/div><\/div>\n

With that out of the way, let’s get to work!<\/p>\n

Step 1: Create a new page for your privacy policy<\/h3>\n

Until recently, you had to build a WordPress privacy policy completely from scratch. In fact, you can still do that \u2013 simply create a new page and start writing. However, WordPress now offers a feature<\/a> to help you get started, which we highly recommend you check out.<\/p>\n

As long as your site is updated<\/a> to the most recent version (which it should be!), you\u2019ll find this option under Settings > Privacy<\/em>:<\/p>\n

\"Creating<\/p>\n

Here, you can select an existing page to designate as your privacy policy. This can be useful if you already have a policy in place that just needs to be updated. However, you\u2019ll most likely want to start by selecting Create New Page<\/em>.<\/p>\n

This will take you straight to the WordPress editor you\u2019re familiar with, where you can start adding content to the page. It will have some headings and information already included:<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

This can serve as the template for your privacy policy. All you have to do is fill in the blanks.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Add in your website-specific information<\/h3>\n

If you look through the template WordPress has provided you with, you\u2019ll see a number of sections. This is a useful outline letting you know what type of information you need to explain to your visitors.<\/p>\n

A few of the sections already have some text filled in. This describes data that all WordPress sites gather by default, as well as how long it\u2019s stored, and similar details.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll likely want to leave all of this as-is. However, it\u2019s worth reading through to see if any of the functionality described is altered on your specific site (for example, due to a change you\u2019ve made to the settings<\/a>, an installed plugin, or some custom code<\/a>):<\/p>\n

\"Default<\/p>\n

After familiarizing yourself with what\u2019s already there, you’ll want to go through each section of the template.<\/p>\n

When adding information, it\u2019s best to provide as much detail as you can. There\u2019s a WordPress privacy policy guide that can help you fill in some of the gaps, which is linked to at the top of the page. It even provides some suggested text you can use. You\u2019ll likely also want to refer to the GDPR guidelines<\/a> themselves, and to the legal advice we mentioned earlier.<\/p>\n

What to include in your privacy policy<\/h4>\n

While this isn\u2019t an exhaustive list, here are some of the points you\u2019ll need to make sure are covered in your WordPress privacy policy:<\/p>\n