Question: What Should I Look For in a Good Privacy Policy?
I know that I should read the company's privacy policy before giving any personal information when entering sweepstakes. What makes a good privacy policy, though? What should I look for when I read privacy policies?
Answer: Companies share information about how they will use any personal information they collect on their website in their privacy policies. A privacy policy does not necessarily protect you from misuse of your personal information, but it does provide transparency in letting you know what will happen after you give your name, email address, or other personal information.
A good privacy policy will allow you to make an informed decision about whether to give that information or not. It is also possible that you could sue a company if it does not abide by the terms of its privacy agreement.
What to Look For in a Good Privacy Policy
Just having a privacy policy available won't help you if the company states outright that it will sell your personal information to the highest bidder! Here are some things to look for in a good privacy policy that actually protects your information. Some important things to look for in a good privacy policy include:- What Information Will Be Collected?
- How Will Your Information Be Used?
- How Will Your Information Be Stored?
- What Security Measures Will Protect Your Information?
- How Long Will Your Information Be Kept?
- Will Your Information Be Shared with Others?
- How Can You Contact the Company?
