You publish articles on a blog related to your professional activity. You share advice, feedback, and maybe even training sessions. But have you checked that your blog complies with the legal obligations imposed on all professional websites in France? These obligations do not only concern large companies or e-commerce sites: a simple blog is sufficient as long as it is linked to a professional activity.
Data Transfers to the United States: What the 2023 Framework Changes
Most professional blogs use services hosted in the United States without even thinking about it. Google Fonts for typography, Google Analytics for traffic statistics, Mailchimp for sending newsletters, or contact forms via American platforms.
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Since the European Commission’s adequacy decision of July 10, 2023, regarding the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, transfers of data to certified American companies are once again regulated. This framework replaces the period of uncertainty that followed the Schrems II ruling.
In practical terms, this changes how you must draft your privacy policy. It is no longer sufficient to mention that your data passes through American servers. You must specify the legal basis for the transfer, namely this adequacy decision, and verify that your service providers are indeed listed in the registry of certified companies. A good example of a structured page that incorporates these elements is that of the legal information on Geek Gazette, where each third-party provider is identified with its role.
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Mandatory Legal Mentions for a Professional Blog: The Concrete List
The law for confidence in the digital economy (LCEN) of June 21, 2004, requires every professional website to display mentions that clearly identify the responsible party for the site. Here is what your legal mentions page must contain at a minimum:
- Your full identity: name, first name, and if you are a sole trader, the mention “sole trader” or the initials “EI” next to your name
- The professional address (a domiciliation address is accepted to avoid publishing your personal address), an email, and a contact phone number
- Your registration number with the RCS, your VAT identification number, and if applicable, the references of your regulated activity (name and address of the competent authority)
- The complete contact details of your host: name or business name, address, and phone number
The domiciliation address legally replaces the personal address in your mentions. This point is confirmed by the practical sheets updated by Service-public.fr. For an independent blogger working from home, it is a simple solution to protect their privacy.
Cookies and GDPR: CNIL Also Monitors Small Blogs
Do you think that CNIL controls only target large sites? The facts show otherwise. Since 2023, CNIL has been actively targeting small sites and professional blogs for non-compliance with cookie and GDPR regulations. Public formal notices have been issued, notably on December 8, 2023, against low-traffic publishers.
The most common reason: the absence of a “Reject All” button on the cookie consent banner. Many blogs settle for an “Accept” button accompanied by a discreet link to the settings. This is no longer sufficient.
What Your Cookie Banner Must Offer
The visitor must be able to refuse cookies as easily as they accept them. In practice, this means two buttons at the same visual level: “Accept All” and “Reject All”. A simple link to preferences does not replace a visible reject button.
Your privacy policy must also detail the purposes of each cookie placed, the legal basis for processing (consent, in most cases), and the recipients of the collected data. If you use a traffic analysis tool, a social media pixel, or an advertising service, each of these tools must be listed with its specific role.
Privacy Policy and Intellectual Property: Two Often Overlooked Pages
The legal mentions do not cover everything. Two other legal elements must appear on your professional blog, often on separate pages.
Privacy Policy
Any blog that collects personal data must publish a privacy policy. A simple contact form is enough to trigger this obligation. This page must indicate what data you collect, why, how long you keep it, and how the visitor can exercise their rights (access, rectification, deletion).
Since the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, you must also document international data transfers, specifying to which countries and on what legal basis.
Intellectual Property
Your texts, photos, and visuals are protected by copyright. An intellectual property clause in your legal mentions reminds of this protection and specifies the conditions for reproduction. Without this mention, your content remains protected by law, but asserting your rights in case of copying becomes more complicated.
Sanctions for Missing or Incomplete Legal Mentions
The absence of legal mentions on a professional site is an offense. The sanctions provided by the LCEN can go up to one year in prison and a fine for individuals. For legal entities, the fine is multiplied.
Beyond the criminal aspect, a blog without legal mentions loses credibility with its visitors and partners. A prospect who cannot find a clear identification of the site’s responsible party is likely to leave the page.
The legal compliance of a professional blog rests on three pillars: complete legal mentions, an up-to-date privacy policy, and transparent cookie management. Checking these three points takes less than an hour and protects you against real sanctions, even for a low-traffic blog.