Data privacy in the digital world works a lot like water flowing through pipes. A single crack, if neglected, is capable of flooding the entire house. Similarly, a seemingly insignificant breach is enough to shake a business’s foundations.
In 2025, the stakes are higher than ever. WordPress powers around 40% of all websites on the internet. Its popularity as a content management tool comes with its downsides: WordPress sites are a frequent target for cyberattacks and breaches.
Third-party plugins form a primary vector for the threats. However, they are also the backbone of WordPress functionality. Plugin developers are stewards of sensitive user information.
This makes privacy not a checkbox but a core component of ethical, responsible WordPress development. Keep reading as this article explores the importance of prioritizing data privacy and how WordPress plugin developers can lead the way.
The Changing Privacy Landscape
There has been a profound transformation in the past decade in terms of data privacy laws. What was once considered to be a peripheral concern has now become central to user trust, legal compliance, and the ethical responsibilities of developers.
As of 2025, data privacy laws have been enacted across 144 countries. In the United States itself, around 15 states have introduced their individual data privacy laws. This points towards more localized regulatory frameworks.
Along with new and tighter laws, the general public has become far more privacy-conscious. Users are likely to question how their data is collected and used.
This change can be traced back to a series of high-profile data privacy controversies involving some of the most notable tech platforms. Perhaps the most widely known is the Facebook lawsuit, in which Meta is being scrutinized for allegedly designing its platform in a way that exploits user behaviors.
According to TorHoerman Law, young users of the platform have reportedly developed mental health issues, ranging from low self-esteem to major depression. The lawsuit may be directed at a global corporation, but its ripple effects have influenced how users view privacy across all digital platforms. This includes WordPress sites and plugins.
In 2023, around 827 WordPress plugins were abandoned due to security risks. That’s a striking contrast compared to only 147 plugins abandoned the year prior. The new regulations of 2024, including the PCI DSS 4.0 standards for payment processing, have made the WordPress community more aware of security threats.
From site owners to plugin developers and hosting providers, the changing landscape has direct implications. For instance, users have now:
- Become more cautious about what plugins they install
- Started favoring plugins that are transparent about data use
- Started reading privacy policies and checking permissions
As key custodians of personal information, WordPress plugin developers need to prioritize data privacy to uphold the trust of privacy-conscious users. Privacy is also critical to avoid legal consequences and a bad rep in the market.
What Data Privacy Means for WordPress Plugin Developers
Brands across industrial sectors are prioritizing data privacy, especially with the use of advanced software. The global data privacy software market is expected to grow from $5.37 billion in 2025 to $45.13 billion in 2032.
WordPress plugin developers need to take notes and apply the following strategies to win customer trust and avoid legal issues.
Minimize Data Collection
A core principle of data privacy is that less is more. When you minimize data collection, you only collect information that is essential for a service. Do not gather details that are unnecessary.
In terms of WordPress plugins, developers must:
- Limit the scope of data collection to what is directly needed for the plugin to function. If a plugin is designed to collect email addresses for a newsletter, avoid gathering additional personal details like phone number or date of birth.
- Evaluate the necessity of each data field. If certain fields are not crucial, consider removing them from forms or making them optional.
- Avoid unnecessary tracking, especially when there are third-party integrations. Ensure the plugin collects only what is needed to make the integration work.
Enable Consent and Control
With the evolving expectations around data privacy, users want clear control over their personal information. That is among the central tenets of privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA, and PIPEDA.
WordPress plugin developers need to enable features that allow users to have control over their data. This can be done in the following ways:
- Do not deny users basic access to your plugin if they choose not to share their data.
- Make consent specific and granular by giving users the option to agree to different types of data use.
- Use clear, non-technical language to explain what data will be collected, for what purpose, and who will have access.
- Beyond requesting consent, allow users to access, modify, and withdraw their data at any time.
- Implement consent logs and time stamping to prove that consent was given by the user.
- Ensure your plugin does not override the user’s browser-level privacy settings.
- Avoid dark patterns of all sorts that manipulate users into providing their consent.
Secure the Collected Data
When companies collect data, no matter how small the volume, it comes with a major responsibility. You need to protect user data from unauthorized access, leaks, or misuse.
Your data collection practices may be ethical, but if the collected data is not secure, you’re putting your plugin users at risk. 2024 recorded the highest-ever value in average data breach costs ($4.88 million). That was also a 10% increase compared to the year prior.
For WordPress plugin developers, securing user data would include the following:
- Data encryption in transit and at rest using secure algorithms
- Following the principle of least privilege to ensure that the plugin has access to only the minimum volume of data
- Validation and sanitization of user input, whether it’s a settings form or contact submission
- Keeping plugins and dependencies updated, as outdated code exposes user data to attackers
- Implementing secure authentication and authorization to prevent forgeries
- Preparing for breaches responsibly by including a breach notification protocol in the privacy policy
Finally, be careful with third-party integrations, be it for functionalities like analytics, CRMs, payment gateways, or cloud storage. These integrations do enhance user experience but they also introduce privacy and security risks.
The digital ecosystem is becoming increasingly complex. Data privacy is not a ‘nice to have’ option; it’s a growing necessity. By taking privacy seriously, you will not only protect your users but also future-proof your plugins, contributing to a more secure WordPress ecosystem.
