Gearing Up for GDPR Compliance
Recent developments have propelled privacy and data regulation concerns to the forefront and organizations across the globe are grappling with ways to handle customer data and privacy issues. With European Union’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) having come into effect on May 25, 2018, things have changed drastically with organizations trying their best to come to terms with the true impact of GDPR.
In recent weeks, you must have received notifications from apps and websites informing you of updated terms and conditions and asking for your consent, as a result of GDPR implementation. A large number of businesses and organizations around the globe prepared for the May 25 deadline in a real hurry, scurrying around trying to meet the compliance regulations, but a majority of the work still remains to be done. GDPR compliance is an ongoing process and it will take some time for organizations to be ready for this policy shift.
Government regulations regarding protection of individual data never gained prominence outside Europe but all that is about to change with the implementation of GDPR, as it covers every organization across the globe processing personal data of EU citizens.
With the world moving more and more towards digital convergence, the amount of data stored by organizations has multiplied manifold, and so has the responsibility of organizations to protect this voluminous amount of personal data. Identity theft has now become a distinct possibility in the post Cambridge Analytica fiasco causing major disruption to businesses and the loyalty deficit that it creates among users is a big risk which no one is willing to take.
So, what are the best practices or strategies that can help organizations come to terms with GDPR? GDPR compliance strategies can be implemented today using desktop virtualization, combined with data containerization and control over data distribution. Proper management of data has acquired utmost importance in the light of GDPR implementation.
Proactive Approach is Required
It is the duty of officials to process the data and be proactive in their approach rather than being reactive. They should be able to analyze the risks well in advance and plan accordingly to implement adequate measures to mitigate these risks.
Be Transparent in Your Interactions
Under the new GDPR regime, transparency has become the new keyword. According to GDPR requirements, individuals should be informed why and with whom their data is collected and shared. Under the new regulations, organizations should clearly state the personal information they have of their employees and who they share it with. So, you should be fully aware of the legal technicalities before collecting employee details and sharing it with others. You just can’t rely on the consent of employees because under the new regulations, employee consent cannot be the legal basis of any argument.
Understand Individual Rights
Organizations need to have a clear understanding of the process to ensure they cover the rights that individuals have regarding their personal data and privacy. You also need to have a clear understanding of how to delete personal data or share it with others.
Be Prompt in Reporting Data Breaches
Organizations have a moral obligation to notify the Information Commissioner’s Office of Personal Data Breaches without any undue delay. And to ensure this, organizations should make sure that the employees are well trained and in tune with the requirements of GDPR when any breach or data theft occurs.
Privacy Policies Should be Monitored Constantly
Privacy policies and regulations should be constantly reviewed and updated. You should also keep a tab on the activities of third parties working on your behalf. Even if your organization is using the cloud for data storage, appropriate measures should be in place to ensure protection of data in the cloud.
Maintaining the trust of your customers is not a one-off peripheral thing as organizations now realize and once lost it’s very hard to regain it. In this light, post-GDPR compliance strategies have become all the more important and it becomes the ethical responsibility of organizations to do their best to protect the privacy of individuals and use the personal data at their disposal discreetly.