There is no doubt that the internet has transformed how to communicate and perform

daily tasks radically. Today, we send e-mails, share files, pay bills, and buy goods while

surrendering personal information online freely. Have you ever taken a step back and

wondered how much of your data is already available on the internet? Or better yet, have you

ever questioned yourself what happens to the personal information you submit online?

Basically, your banking details, contacts, addresses, posts on social media, IP address,

and even the sites you access are all maintained online. You have received a notification from

different companies that you interact with online informing you that they hold this kind of

personal data to improve the services they offer you. In some cases, they expose you to more

targeted and relevant networks all in the name of enhancing your experience online.

However, the fundamental question that needs to be answered is whether this

information used for these stated purposes. This question was answered by the European

Union when the General Data Protection Regulation came into effect on May 2018. Since

this law became effective, how businesses collect, store, and utilize customer data has been

reformed drastically.

However, available data from research inquiries shows that 80 percent of technology

firms and entrepreneurs who are accountable for information privacy at firms operating in

Europe have negligible knowledge or know nothing about the new regulation. Another study

also established that only 20 percent of businesses are convinced that they have complied

with GDPR requirements.

How Do Companies become GDPR Compliant?

 Essentially, GDPR requires businesses to ensure that all departments in a firm take a

closer look at the data they collect and how they process it. Some of the measures you can

take to ensure you are on the right path to GDPR compliance include:

Mapping Data

Primarily, identify where all the personal data that your company handles comes from

and explain the uses of this data clearly. Be aware of where the information is stored, the

entities that have access to it, and identify whether there are any risks to the data.

Identify the Data you need to Maintain

It is not ideal to hold onto information that you do not need. Instead, get rid of any

information that is not important to your business objectives since GDPR advocates for more

disciplined use of personal information.

Implement Security Strategies

Create and apply safeguards across your infrastructure to mitigate any data breaches.

With these safeguards, it becomes easy to detect breaches and notify affected parties as well

as the relevant authorities. Additionally, you need to ensure that third-parties such as

outsourcing services have the appropriate security measures since this law attaches liability

for a data breach for any entity that came into contact with the information in question.

Update your Documentation

With GDPR, website visitors must provide explicit consent to the acquisition and

processing of their information, implied consent, and already-checked boxes do not suffice

anymore. You need to re-evaluate your privacy policy and disclosures and adjust them

accordingly.
 Implement Guidelines for Processing Personal Data

The final measure you need to take to ensure that your company is compliant with

GDPR is to put in place procedures for processing the personal information you collect.

Some of the issues to consider in this case include:

How individuals can provide consent legally

The procedure to followed if an individual wants their information removed from all

your platforms

How to transfer a person’s data upon request

The communication strategy in case a data breach is detected

In conclusion, data is a valuable resource in this internet era. Although GDPR

presents a new challenge for businesses to navigate, it also creates new opportunities for

them.

Learn more about GDPR and discover how you can make your company compliant

with this regulation to ensure that your business demonstrates that it values its customers’

privacy beyond necessary legal compliance, practices transparency in relation to handling

client data, and implements updated and advanced ways of dealing with consumer data across

its life cycle.

These aspects represent the opportunities created by GDPR compliance since they are

crucial to any business in cultivating deeper trust and keeping more loyal end-users.