GDPR-Proof Your Website in Seven Simple Steps!

With GDPR looming large on the horizon, it’s time to ensure your website and marketing doesn’t suffer from the dramatic changes it will bring.

Everyone’s talking about the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and how it will affect online activity across Europe and beyond. While it is a European directive, from the 25^th May, it will apply to any business with European customers. So, regardless of Brexit, businesses across the UK will need to comply.

Replacing the existing – and now out dated - directive established in 1995, GDPR is designed to reflect the now widespread use of the internet and how we create, use, share and store information. It will unify the approach to data protection, privacy and security. 

Businesses around the world who count EU citizens among their customers, collect IP addresses or track cookies, will be compelled to move away from a tick-box attitude to compliance, to create a company-wide approach to managing the lifecycle of personal data. If you don’t, Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) have the power to enforce severe penalties: which in the most serious of cases can be up to 4% of your global turnover or €20 million, whichever is greater.

Personal data now includes everything from online identifiers such as IP addresses and mobile device identity, and businesses must have technical and organisational measures in place to protect and encrypt personal data, as well as keeping records of data processing activity and reporting breaches as soon as you are aware of them.

It all sounds terribly complicated in theory! Yes, the changes are big and yes, they will require changes at an organisational level, but we’ve put together a succinct and simple infographic to help you know where to start.

There’s no mistaking, GDPR will require a big effort, investment and change from almost every kind of business that takes its customers’ data seriously and wants to avoid big fines. Ticking all the boxes on our 7-step guide is one thing but managing that change from an organisational point of view, getting everyone on board from the top down and enabling cultural change is what will really ensure success.

If you’re not sure, ask us – we’d be happy to review your site and make recommendations on how you can be GDPR complaint, efficiently and effectively.

Get in touch today, call us on 028 90 731190 or email GDPR@thewebbureau.com one of the team would be happy to chat.