GDPR comes into effect
The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect today (25 May).
According to the European Commission (EC), the rules aim to protect EU citizens from privacy and data breaches, and create a “clearer and more consistent framework for businesses”.
In a statement issued yesterday, the EC summarized the “new rights for citizens” thus:
- a citizen has to give their “clear and affirmative consent” for their data to be processed;
- the right to receive clear and understandable information about who is processing the data, what data and why;
- the right to be forgotten: a citizen can ask for his/her data to be deleted;
- the right to transfer data to another service provider (e.g. when switching from one social network to another);
- the right to know when data has been hacked.
The new rules apply to all companies operating in the EU, even if these companies are based outside of the EU. The UK is, of course, set to leave the EU next year – but it is still implementing the GDPR, through its own Data Protection Act 2018.
The implementation of GDPR is likely to have a significant impact on marketing policies and online communications. In the immediate term, many of us will have suffered a surge of electronic messages over the past few days, as companies have scurried to secure our active consent ahead of the deadline – and today there has been something of an eerie email silence.
The World Mail & Express Europe (London, 11-13 June 2018)
Triangle’s World Mail & Express Europe, taking place at The Royal Lancaster London on 11-13 June, will feature a special plenary session on “GDPR: Reimaging Marketing Communications”.
Speakers on this important subject will include: Mark Davies, Managing Director, Door Drop Media, Whistl; Rachel Aldighieri, Managing Director, Direct Marketing Association; Botond Szebeny, Secretary General, PostEurop; and Toni Vitale, Partner, Winckworth Sherwood.
Click here to see the full conference agenda, and here to register.
