Dominic is the CEO of Lawpath, dedicating his days to making legal easier, faster and more accessible to businesses. Dominic is a recognised thought-leader in Australian legal disruption, and was recognised as a winner of the Australian Legal Innovation Index and recently a winner of the LexisNexis 40 Under 40 (APAC).
Getting started on your app
Apart from staying legally compliant, having a Mobile App Privacy Policy means your app users don’t have to worry about putting in their personal information, and can enjoy your app to its fullest capabilities!
Congratulations on your new mobile app! After all the sleepless nights, tedious designing and endless programming put into developing your new mobile app, you want to put your app up for the world to experience.
Most app stores require you to have a Mobile App Privacy Policy before it can be listed. Having a Mobile App Privacy Policy that is compliant with Australian privacy laws is also a legal requirement.
What is a Mobile App Privacy Policy?
It also states how your users can make a complaint if they are unhappy with your current privacy standards, and the steps you will take to address such a complaint.
A Mobile App Privacy Policy explicitly states what information you will collect from your users, and how that information will be used. This includes who the information will be passed on to and whether the information will be sent overseas. A Privacy Policy also includes clauses setting out the security and storage of personal information and whether your website uses cookies and/or support third party sites.
If your users are unhappy with your current standard of privacy, a Privacy Policy also sets out how they can lodge a complaint and also the steps you will take to address a complaint.
Do I need a Mobile App Privacy Policy for my app?
Failure to comply with these laws may potentially make you subject to penalties including enforceable undertakings or fines of up to $1.7million.
Before your app can get listed on an app store, you will most likely need to have a Mobile App Privacy Policy. Apple’s App Store and Google Play require apps that accesses a user’s existing account or require the creation of a user account to have a Mobile App Privacy Policy.
More importantly, having a Mobile App Privacy Policy that is compliant with current Australian privacy laws is a legal requirement. At the moment, this includes the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the 2014 amendment called the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). The APPs set out 13 standard rules that govern how an Australian business handles personal information. The Office of Australian Information Commissioner also sets out a guide of how to develop an APPs compliant Privacy Policy.
Limiting your liability
By having a Mobile App Privacy Policy that complies with the APPs, you can limit most complaints to being addressed internally. However, just having a compliant Mobile App Privacy Policy is not enough. You must ensure that your privacy practices are in-line with your Mobile App Privacy Policy.
How do I create my Privacy Policy?
Creating your own Mobile App Privacy Policy takes less than 5 minutes, meaning you can safely launch your website as soon as possible!
Unsure where to start? Contact a LawPath consultant on 1800LAWPATH to learn more about customising legal documents, obtaining a fixed-fee quote from our network of 600+ expert lawyers or to get answers to your legal questions.
