Blogging Instructions re Privacy Policy Statements

Do you consider yourself a marketer? Let me ask that differently – “Do you attempt to sell anything at your site?”

I’d include things like Adsense, Ads, affiliate products, email addresses. Absolutely anything where there could be financial gain.

If you do I’m going to give you some quick blogging instructions regarding Privacy Policy Statements.

You need one on your site.

Simple enough – nothing complicated!

In fact, if you are serving up Adsense ads on your site and you don’t have a Privacy statement it is probably only a matter of time before Google shuts of the ads, especially if the income gets to a resonable level.

According to the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) every website should make its Privacy Policy available in a prominent place on the site.

The DMA goes a step further – they provide a free tool to create your own statement in seconds.

You really have no excuse.

Off you go:

Privacy Policy Statement generator

“Do It Now”

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Wizzer



Blogging Instructions - Finding Clipart & Cartoons For Your Blog

Tags: Blogging instructions Privacy Policy

12 Responses to “Blogging Instructions re Privacy Policy Statements”

  1. Randy The Hermit | March 18, 2009 at 4:04 pm #

    Great resource! How did you find it?

    • Wizzer | March 18, 2009 at 6:29 pm #

      Oh yes, The Hermit told me about this – I read an email and he was kind of hinting, very subtly of course, that I ought to write a post about it. Can’t think how it slipped my mind to apportion the credit. I do apologise.

  2. D S | March 18, 2009 at 7:38 pm #

    Huh! funny how things happen!! I made a comment on twitter a few days ago about privacy policies and how google is asking us as publishers to rework ours by April. Wonder if ANY of my “followers” read it?

    I was just putting together a request for B.B. on whether we as bloggers should add one of these to our blogs. I found that same resource and one other that speaks to and about blogs.

    Thanks for this post both of you!

    D S

    D S’s last blog post..Solar Pond Fountain – Floating Lily

    • Wizzer | March 19, 2009 at 1:48 pm #

      You’re so right – is it coincidence or something more? I didn’t actually see your post (honest guv.) but was inspired by something Randy wrote. (Now he’s got the credit but did he see your Twitter? :) ) Some years back I read a great post about Terms / Privacy etc and how easy it is to fall foul or some rule or another. My view – stay safe!

  3. Gail | March 19, 2009 at 4:39 am #

    I have a very generic privacy policy on my adsense sites and was looking for one for wordpress. Until I read your post I wasn’t sure I needed on a blog. Just yesterday, I found one at http://www.synclastic.com/plugins/privacy-policy/
    I put it up via zip download options for wordpress on my new beginners blog (still work in progress) and it seems to do the job. It only took a few clicks to add. Let me know your thoughts.

    • Wizzer | March 19, 2009 at 1:44 pm #

      Thanks for the link Gail. That looks like it should do the job BUT…
      There can be no substitute for taking advice from an expert. I cert6ainly don’t have the qualifications to determine what needs to be put in a Privacy Policy and indeed there are complications because of the “international” nature of doing business on the net.

      I see this plugin doesn’t provide for collecting email addresses via an opt-in box so that’s certainly something that needs to be added if you’re doing that – and if not why not? :)

      Like Randy, I too normally use a “paid for” solution on sites where I’m selling rather than providing information. In my opinion it’s an area where you can’t be too careful. You don’t what some agency or another breathing down your neck!

  4. Randy The Hermit | March 19, 2009 at 10:47 am #

    Credit, Credit, Credit, Give me the credit! :)

    Ain’t I the greedy one!

    I have had that resource bookmarked for a couple of years now but I haven’t used it for a while since I have the forms I purchased to use.

    @DS I haven’t checked the new Google Adsense regulations so I am not sure if that form fulfills the requirements. If you know please let us know.

    Randy The Hermit’s last blog post..Blog Money – Is there such a thing?

    • Wizzer | March 19, 2009 at 1:49 pm #

      Of course you get the credit – but you know with me you ALWAYS have to ask :)

  5. D S | March 20, 2009 at 1:47 am #

    I was surprised the other day when I got this email from Google AdSense team asking publishers to update their websites privacy policy and include the use of interest-based advertising. It took me by surprise, because never in the past have any advertisers asked users to update their privacy policies.

    Seems that the changes are related to the DoubleClick DART cookies, that will be stored on users computers who visit websites displaying Google AdSense ads. The email asks users to update their privacy policy before April 8th 2009.

    “Interest-based advertising will allow advertisers to show ads based on a user’s previous interactions with them, such as visits to advertiser website and also to reach users based on their interests (e.g. “sports enthusiast”). To develop interest categories, we will recognize the types of web pages users visit throughout the Google content network. As an example, if they visit a number of sports pages, we will add them to the “sports enthusiast” interest category. To learn more about your associated account settings, please visit the AdSense Help Center at http://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/topic.py?topic=20310.

    As a result of this announcement, your privacy policy will now need to reflect the use of interest-based advertising. Please review the information at Solar Pond Fountain – Floating Lily

    • Wizzer | March 20, 2009 at 9:47 am #

      Great comment David. Thanks. I’ve added this as a post to ensure everyone gets to see it.

  6. denise | March 20, 2009 at 10:25 pm #

    I never thought about this at all. but plan to “do it now” well, in a few minutes.

    First I have a quetion. Wheres the best place to put it?

    And thanks for the heads up. I never thought about this, Denise

    denise’s last blog post..Small Space Water Fountain Ideas

    • Wizzer | March 21, 2009 at 10:45 am #

      I'd just create a new Page (not Post) and paste the text from the generator onto that page. Call it Privacy or Privacy Policy / Statement and your done.

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