The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a set of rules developed to protect the privacy of individuals whose data is stored or processed in European Union (EU) member states. The GDPR will be enforced on May 25, 2018.
This enforcement date was chosen because it is 5 years since the regulation was first applied in stages in Europe. The aim is to give businesses sufficient time to adjust to the new requirements and for individuals to learn and remember the new privacy practices.
The GDPR brings with it a host of new privacy requirements that companies processing personal data in the EU must adhere to. One of the biggest changes for companies is the fact that they must now appoint a data protection officer (DPO) to oversee all data protection activities.
What is a Data Protection Officer?
A data protection officer (DPO) is a company official who is responsible for ensuring that the company complies with data protection requirements. A DPO should be aware of the responsibilities that come along with their new role and be willing to take on the challenge.
Usually the DPO is a senior manager or administrator who is responsible for the internal governance of data protection. The DPO will need to work with external legal counsel and technical advisors to ensure that all of the requirements of GDPR are met.
Why MailChimp and AWeber?
MailChimp is one of the world’s most popular email marketing platforms. The company processes data of more than 500 million users worldwide and is well-known for its excellent customer service. AWeber, on the other hand, is a standalone email marketing platform, which was acquired by Amazon in 2016 to strengthen its webmail and CRM services. AWeber has also been known to offer exceptional customer service and has a solid presence in the market.
How is GDPR different from other data protection regulations?
The GDPR is different from other data protection regulations in that it places a greater emphasis on privacy protection. Specifically, the regulation strengthens the rights of citizens and creates new rules regarding data accuracy, purpose limitation, and security. Furthermore, the GDPR introduces new requirements for notifications and breach remediation, among other things. These are just a few examples of how the GDPR is different from other data protection regulations.
What does GDPR mean for marketers?
Marketers should not fear the GDPR because it can actually be a great opportunity to increase privacy awareness and craft data-driven marketing strategies. To begin with, marketers can use their data to identify target audiences and create bespoke experiences for each of them. Additionally, marketers can implement AI and machine learning to their advantage to provide the best user experience possible.
What should marketers do now?
Marketers should ensure that their organization is compliant with GDPR as of May 25, 2018. To do this, they should take the following steps:
Train employees
The GDPR establishes a legal obligation for businesses to act in accordance with data protection principles. Businesses must therefore appoint data protection officers and implement appropriate training courses for their employees.
The aim of the training is to ensure that employees fully understand the significance of the GDPR and how it affects their daily work. The training should cover not just the general concepts behind GDPR, such as identifying personal data, determining data subjects, and notifying data breaches, but also the specific requirements of the GDPR such as data collection, processing, and storage. Employees should also learn to identify the kind of data they are allowed to process and use, as well as the rights of individuals whose data is being processed.
Assess risks
The GDPR gives individuals the right to be forgotten and requires businesses to erase their data at any time. However, this right comes with risks associated with data storage and processing. To ensure that these risks are minimized, businesses must assess them and implement appropriate measures.
For example, if a business operates a blog, they must ensure that their servers are encrypted and stored in a secure location, that backup procedures are in place, and that all of their systems meet the minimum security requirements set by law.
Create a plan
Once risks have been assessed, businesses must put in place a data protection plan to ensure that all of the required steps are taken to ensure GDPR compliance. This plan should address not just the general organizational aspects, but also the specific tasks and responsibilities of each department, role, and employee. The plan should also include how each step will be measured, benchmarked, and reviewed.
The development of the plan should not take too long, but it should be exhaustive and include every detail. While it is important to have a plan in place, it is even more important to have a plan that is actually followed.
Review the plan
After the plan has been implemented, businesses must review it regularly to ensure that it is still relevant and up-to-date. The plan should be amended as required and the steps defined and measured to ensure that the company is heading in the right direction.
The plan should then be submitted to a trusted entity for peer review. This review should not be a process that is performed once the plan is implemented, but it should be a continuous one to ensure that the plan remains compliant throughout its existence.
Appoint a data protection officer
If a business decides that additional staff is required to handle the volume of data that they have processed throughout their organization, they must appoint a data protection officer. A data protection officer is an individual who is responsible for ensuring data protection compliance within an organization and can communicate with other employees about these matters.
Once a business has appointed a data protection officer, they must communicate with the individual and ensure that they understand their responsibilities and the company’s data protection policies. The role of the data protection officer is not to replace legal counsel or technical experts, but to work with them to ensure that all data protection requirements are met.
What are the consequences of not being GDPR compliant?
In May 2018, the regulators of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) announced that they would initially focus on a handful of the world’s largest companies that process significant amounts of data in the region. Those who flout the GDPR could potentially face severe consequences, including unlimited fines or even the withdrawal of business licenses.
How can marketers ensure compliance?
Marketers should not fear the GDPR because it can actually be a great opportunity to increase awareness about data protection and craft data-driven marketing strategies. To begin with, marketers can use their data to identify target audiences and create bespoke experiences for each of them.
Additionally, marketers can implement AI and machine learning to their advantage to provide the best user experience possible.