Privacy Policy Generator
Generate a GDPR, CCPA, and COPPA-compliant privacy policy for your website.
Why Every Website Needs a Privacy Policy
A privacy policy is legally required in most jurisdictions if you collect any personal data from visitors. Even a simple contact form or analytics tracking creates legal obligations. GDPR (Europe), CCPA (California), LGPD (Brazil), POPIA (South Africa), and many other regulations require clear disclosure of data practices. Beyond legal compliance, a privacy policy builds trust with users — 79% of consumers say they care about how companies handle their data.
GDPR Overview
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), effective since May 2018, applies to any organization that processes data of EU/EEA residents, regardless of where the organization is based. Key requirements: lawful basis for processing, explicit consent for data collection, right to access and deletion, data breach notification within 72 hours, and appointing a Data Protection Officer for certain organizations. Fines can reach €20 million or 4% of global annual revenue.
CCPA Explained
The California Consumer Privacy Act gives California residents rights over their personal information. It applies to businesses that collect California residents' data AND meet certain thresholds (annual revenue over $25M, data of 100,000+ consumers, or 50%+ revenue from selling data). CCPA gives consumers the right to know, delete, opt-out of sale, and non-discrimination. The CPRA amendment (2023) strengthened these protections further.
Cookie Consent Requirements
The EU's ePrivacy Directive requires explicit consent before placing non-essential cookies. This means cookie consent banners are legally required for EU visitors. Essential cookies (login, shopping cart) don't require consent. Analytics and advertising cookies do. Consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous — pre-checked boxes are not valid consent. Many businesses use consent management platforms (CMPs) to handle this complexity.
Privacy Policy vs Terms of Service
A privacy policy explains how you handle user data — it's legally required wherever you collect personal information. Terms of service (ToS) define the rules for using your service — acceptable use, intellectual property, liability limitations, and dispute resolution. While related, they serve different purposes. A privacy policy protects users' data rights; terms of service protect your business interests. Most websites need both documents.