Create a bespoke document in minutes, or upload and review your own.
Get your first 2 documents free
Your data doesn't train Genie's AI
You keep IP ownership of your information
Confidentiality Notice
"I need a confidentiality notice for a data privacy project involving third-party vendors, ensuring non-disclosure of sensitive information for a period of 5 years, with penalties for breaches."
What is a Confidentiality Notice?
A Confidentiality Notice is a legal statement that protects sensitive information shared in business communications. You'll often see these notices at the bottom of emails, contracts, or other documents, warning recipients that the content is private and confidential.
Under Australian privacy laws, these notices help organizations safeguard their confidential data and create legal obligations for anyone who receives the information. They typically spell out who can use the information, what happens if it's received by mistake, and what steps the recipient must take - like deleting accidental emails or notifying the sender right away.
When should you use a Confidentiality Notice?
Use a Confidentiality Notice when sharing sensitive business information through any written communication, especially emails containing financial data, client details, or trade secrets. It's particularly important for Australian businesses handling personal information under the Privacy Act, or when exchanging confidential details with contractors, clients, or business partners.
Add this notice to communications involving merger discussions, employee records, tender submissions, or proprietary technical information. It's essential for regulated industries like healthcare, financial services, and legal practices where client confidentiality is paramount. Many organizations include it automatically in all business emails to create a consistent approach to information protection.
What are the different types of Confidentiality Notice?
- Basic Email Footer: The simplest type, typically appearing at the bottom of business emails with standard warning text about confidentiality and accidental receipt
- Comprehensive Legal Notice: Detailed version used in contracts and formal documents, spelling out specific obligations, penalties, and steps for handling confidential material
- Industry-Specific Notice: Tailored versions for sectors like healthcare (mentioning patient privacy) or financial services (referencing banking secrecy)
- Project-Based Notice: Custom notices for specific ventures or transactions, identifying particular confidential elements and relevant parties
- Internal Communications Notice: Simplified version for staff communications, focusing on workplace confidentiality obligations
Who should typically use a Confidentiality Notice?
- Legal Departments: Draft and update standard confidentiality notices for their organizations, ensuring compliance with Australian privacy laws
- Business Executives: Use notices when sharing sensitive corporate information with stakeholders or during negotiations
- HR Managers: Apply notices to employee communications containing personal or sensitive workplace information
- IT Teams: Implement automated notice systems in email platforms and document management systems
- External Recipients: Must comply with notice terms when receiving confidential communications, including obligations to delete or return information
- Compliance Officers: Monitor and enforce proper use of notices across the organization
How do you write a Confidentiality Notice?
- Define Scope: Identify exactly what information needs protection and who will receive it
- Check Context: Determine if this is for emails, contracts, or other business documents to use appropriate language
- List Requirements: Note any industry-specific regulations or Privacy Act obligations that apply
- Set Boundaries: Specify permitted uses, sharing restrictions, and consequences of breaches
- Draft Clear Steps: Include instructions for accidental recipients and required actions
- Use Our Platform: Generate a legally-sound notice customized to your needs, ensuring all essential elements are included
- Review Format: Ensure the notice is prominent and easily visible in your chosen communication method
What should be included in a Confidentiality Notice?
- Confidentiality Statement: Clear declaration that the content is private and confidential
- Purpose Statement: Specific description of intended recipients and authorized use
- Privacy Act Reference: Mention of obligations under Australian privacy laws
- Breach Instructions: Steps for accidental recipients to follow, including deletion requirements
- Return/Destroy Directive: Clear instructions for handling unauthorized access
- Legal Warning: Statement about consequences of unauthorized use or disclosure
- Contact Details: Information for reporting accidental receipt or seeking clarification
- Document Status: Indication if the message contains privileged or commercially sensitive information
What's the difference between a Confidentiality Notice and a Confidentiality Agreement?
A Confidentiality Notice differs significantly from a Confidentiality Agreement in several key ways. While both protect sensitive information, their scope and legal weight vary considerably.
- Legal Enforceability: A Confidentiality Notice is a one-way warning statement, while a Confidentiality Agreement creates mutual, legally binding obligations between signing parties
- Formality Level: Notices are typically informal communications attachments, whereas Agreements are formal contracts requiring signatures and consideration
- Duration and Scope: Notices apply to specific communications or documents, while Agreements cover broader relationships and longer timeframes
- Implementation: Notices are often automated additions to communications, but Agreements require negotiation and active acceptance
- Legal Remedies: Agreements provide stronger grounds for legal action and specific enforcement mechanisms, while Notices mainly serve as warnings and evidence of intent
Download our whitepaper on the future of AI in Legal
Genie’s Security Promise
Genie is the safest place to draft. Here’s how we prioritise your privacy and security.
Your documents are private:
We do not train on your data; Genie’s AI improves independently
All data stored on Genie is private to your organisation
Your documents are protected:
Your documents are protected by ultra-secure 256-bit encryption
Our bank-grade security infrastructure undergoes regular external audits
We are ISO27001 certified, so your data is secure
Organizational security
You retain IP ownership of your documents
You have full control over your data and who gets to see it
Innovation in privacy:
Genie partnered with the Computational Privacy Department at Imperial College London
Together, we ran a £1 million research project on privacy and anonymity in legal contracts
Want to know more?
Visit our Trust Centre for more details and real-time security updates.
Read our Privacy Policy.