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 Virginia, the handling of personally identifiable information (PII) by businesses is influenced by both federal privacy laws and state-specific regulations. Virginia enacted the Consumer Data Protection Act (CDPA), which will take effect on January 1, 2023. This law requires businesses that control or process the personal data of Virginia residents to adhere to various data protection standards. Under the CDPA, consumers have the right to access, correct, delete, and obtain a copy of their personal data, as well as to opt out of the processing of their personal data for targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects. A website privacy policy in Virginia should therefore inform users about the types of PII collected, the purposes for which it is used, how it is protected and shared, and the rights of consumers regarding their personal data. The policy should also provide details on how users can exercise their rights under the CDPA. It's important to note that businesses not only need to comply with Virginia's laws but also with applicable federal privacy laws such as the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), depending on the nature of the business and the type of information collected.