Data protection is a necessity in everyone’s life, and it can only be achieved through a set of rules. GDPR compliance regulation is one of the strongest data protection regulations. It aims to protect a person’s fundamental rights by laying down rules relating to the processing of the personal data of EU citizens all over the world.
GDPR
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation, and it came into effect in the year 2018 after repealing the 1998 data privacy directive that was in existence in the European Union.
GDPR answers multiple questions about your privacy laws. The main objective of the GDPR is to protect the personal data and movement of said data of EU citizens from organizations and companies all over the world.
With personal data such as name, address, date of birth, etc., being collected daily by different companies, GDPR helps protect those data so that it is not being misused. It also questions why and how personal data is required and utilized.
To whom does GDPR compliance apply to?
GDPR is applicable to every company and organization that control and process the personal data belonging to the citizens of European Union and will allow them to monitor data breaches incessantly.
This means that even if you are not an organization from the European Union, you are still subjected to being GDPR compliant. This is because your organization or company’s applications, websites, forums, etc., are being used by EU Citizens. In this manner, the collection of personal data is achieved.
How to be GDPR Compliant?
It is simple to be GDPR compliant. You’ll need to have a privacy policy that answers the 5 Hows of your user’s data.
- How is the information being collected?
- How is the information being stored?
- How is the information being shared?
- How is the information being processed?
- How is the information being used?
5 key steps to GDPR Compliance
Here are the 5 key steps that are necessary for a successful GDPR compliance.
1. Create a vacancy for a Data Protection Officer
If your company deals with citizens worldwide, there is no denying that the subscription and registration of your users will enable personal data collection.
In this case, the first and foremost thing to do is appoint a person who has knowledge of data protection laws. This is crucial because if your user’s data are not protected, it could lead to some severe damage. Your company could be fined a large sum of money, and your reputation could be tarnished.
It is also vital to ensure that the appointed officer has prior knowledge of the laws and regulations.
2. Personal Data Audit
The second key step to complying with GDPR is to audit all the personal data that you have previously collected.
Apply the five Hows stated earlier in this article and document the data.
This is an important step in GDPR Compliance because it will help your organization to stay updated with the GDPR.
3. Create a privacy policy
An organization needs to have a privacy policy. If your company already has one, make sure you update it to the latest set of rules given by the GDPR.
There are 8 basic rights applicable to all users. As a GDPR compliant, these must be mentioned in your privacy policy.
- Right to access: Your users have every right to know how their data is stored and used.
- Right to information: Before collecting the data, users must give their consent and be informed about the data being gathered.
- Right to data portability: The users have every right to transfer their data anytime.
- Right to be forgotten: If the users are no longer a part of your community or wish to be deleted, they have the right to delete their stored data permanently.
- Right to object: If a user feels unsafe about how their data is being used, they have the right to object and stop the processing.
- Right to restrict processing: All processing must come to a halt if the users do not wish to further process their data.
- Right to be notified: In case of any personal data breach, users have every right to be notified within 72 hours.
- Right to rectification: If a user’s personal data have to be changed or updated, they have every right to request a rectification
These rights must be mentioned in the privacy policy for the safety of the users.
4. Personal Data breach investigation procedure
In the unlikely event that there is a data breach, such as a confidentiality breach or identity theft, your organization must be prepared to tackle the situation.
This can only be done properly if there is a process to help the detection, investigation, and report of the breach.
The GDPR mentions clearly that all organizations must notify all data breaches the ICO without fail. Failing to do so can lead to certain consequences like paying hefty fines.
5. Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
For specifically sensitive information, an assessment must be carried out. Data Protection Impact Assessment must be implemented in your organization if the technology is fairly new and will cause a high risk to the data of the users.
DPIA is an important assessment and must be performed in an organization.
Conclusion
In conclusion, personal data should always be kept private, no matter what organization we are connected with. With the help of GDPR compliance, all our personal data that are being collected, stored, and used are notified to us so that there is no data breach.
In this current era, where identity theft has become a major crime, this regulation definitely helps protect individuals no matter what application or website they are suing. Thanks to the GDPR of the EU, many countries are starting to use this model to help protect the data of their citizens.
Various companies and organizations are also becoming GDPR compliant for transparency and earning the trust of their users.
