If GDPR applies to your business, it’s worthwhile to know a few of the key objectives of the regulation.
First, providing individuals with greater control over how their personal data is used is the heart of the GDPR. A major part of compliance is shifting from operating on the assumption that you can use customers’ personal data; however, you need to obtain positive, affirmative consent from customers as to how their data is being used. In short, you can no longer rely on prechecked boxes to add customers to your mailing list—the default setting will need to be the most private one going forward.
Second, as a business, you are required to manage the personal data you have actively. This includes implementing privacy and security measures and deleting personal data that your business no longer needs.
Finally, as a business, GDPR requires that you be transparent with about how you are using what data and why you are using it in clear, easy-to-understand language.
The general public in both the European Union and the United States has concerns about lack of transparency in terms of what personal data businesses have about their customers and customers’ lack of agency in controlling how their data is used. GDPR presents businesses with an opportunity to build trust with customers by providing them with information in a transparent and forthright way and collaborating with them over how you should use their data. At Soliant, we place a heavy emphasis on being a trusted advisor, and transparency and collaboration are key parts of that.