Bixby Developer Center

Guides

Privacy Policy Guidelines

Bixby requires that every capsule post a link to its privacy policy. This guide explains the minimum requirements for your capsule regarding privacy policies. It does not, however, address all possible use cases and issues. Your privacy policy should comprehensively, clearly, and accurately disclose all of your privacy practices as it relates to your capsule. Additionally, your capsule and your privacy policy must also comply with all applicable laws and regulations. This means that you might need different versions based on the specific region or country your capsule is offered, and might involve including additional or different information based on the applicable laws and regulations applicable to that region.

Note

Following these guidelines do not guarantee compliance with applicable laws and regulations. You, and solely you, are responsible for ensuring your privacy policy complies with all applicable laws and regulations, including any changes to such laws and regulations which might require you to amend your privacy policy.

Note

If your capsule is distributed in Korea, make sure you also read and follow the Privacy Policy Guidelines - KR document.

Why Require a Privacy Policy?

Privacy policies allow a user to understand what data you (as a capsule developer) collect, why you collect it, and how you use this data. As such, your disclosures should be comprehensive, accurate, transparent, and easy to understand. Users will have the opportunity to view your privacy policy at various stages - while browsing the Bixby Marketplace, while enabling a capsule, and also while using Bixby. We encourage developers to make their privacy policy easily accessible and available at all times at a third-party location.

Do I Need a Privacy Policy?

Every capsule should have a privacy policy when personal data is collected. Just because you collect personal data for just a moment does not mean you are not collecting personal data. Examples of personal data include name, location, email address, and user utterances. Additionally, if you use any information as shown in the Passing User Context Information topic, it is also considered personal data.

What Are the Basics of the Privacy Policy?

What your privacy policy requires depends on which country or region’s users you are collecting personal data from. Although the minimum requirements of your privacy policy will differ based on region and country, there are some topics common to all privacy policies: information you collect and information you share.

Information You Collect

Your policy should clearly disclose how this data will be used. For example, you might use this data to customize preferences for this user (such as ranking or ordering content based on prior choices) or to use their email address to send them promotional and marketing materials.

Information You Share

Your policy should disclose the circumstances in which you share personal data. For example:

  • With third parties: For example, if a user orders flowers using a flower delivery capsule, the delivery address will be shared with the florist.
  • With other users: For example, a social network.
  • With marketing partners and/or service providers that might assist with your service.

You should also ensure that your privacy policy can be tied back to your capsule by referencing your capsule name in the policy.

Your privacy policy must accurately reflect your capsule. You might also need to disclose practices not specifically called out here. If this information is processed outside of the capsule (app or website for example) your policy should consider all entry points to your product experience and address the collection, use, and sharing of data for those interactions.

Where Should I Host My Privacy Policy?

You can host your privacy policy on any publicly available URL. It is your responsibility as a capsule developer to ensure that the privacy policy, including any updates, is available to users at all times.

Where in My Capsule Should I Specify My Privacy Policy?

You specify your privacy policy in the legal.bxb file using the privacy-policy child key.

What If My Privacy Policy Has Changed?

You are responsible for keeping your privacy policy updated, complying with applicable laws, and making sure the URL provided is functional. If you change your privacy policy URL, you are responsible for submitting a capsule with the updated URL that reflects your current privacy policy.

Where Do Users View My Privacy Policy?

A user can view your privacy policy at multiple points, including but not limited to:

  • When enabling a capsule for the first time (This will be supported in the near future)
  • When there is an update to the permissions being requested
  • When a user has revoked and is now re-enabling permissions
  • Under Capsule Details > Legal Information, or under other settings headings

Where Can I Get Help With Writing My Privacy Policy?

Please contact a legal professional or lawyer for help with drafting your privacy policy or for any questions you have.