A website privacy policy is a legal statement a business places on its website to inform users of what personally identifiable information (PII) the business collects, and how it complies with privacy laws. Privacy laws govern the collection, use, storage, protection, sharing, and deletion of PII—and the disclosure to consumers of what PII a business has collected about them. Examples of PII include names, addresses, telephone numbers, credit card information, and online user names and passwords. Many states have privacy laws, and these laws vary from state to state.
In Oregon, as in many states, businesses that operate websites and collect personally identifiable information (PII) from their users are required to have a privacy policy. This policy must clearly disclose the types of PII collected, the purpose of collection, how the information is used, and the circumstances under which it may be shared with third parties. Oregon's Consumer Identity Theft Protection Act (ORS 646A.600 to 646A.628) mandates that businesses must implement reasonable safeguards to protect PII from unauthorized access. Additionally, Oregon law requires businesses to provide notice to consumers in the event of a security breach that compromises their personal information. While Oregon does not have a comprehensive privacy law like California's Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), businesses operating in Oregon must still comply with federal privacy laws such as the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), which govern the collection of information from children and financial institutions, respectively. It's important for businesses to stay informed about both state and federal regulations to ensure compliance with privacy laws.