If you’re a business owner, then you’ve probably been hearing a lot about GDPR. What is GDPR? Is my business affected by GDPR? How do I become compliant with GDPR? These are all valid questions, and we will provide answers to them all.

We will discuss what GDPR is, who it affects, and how you can become compliant with it. We’ll also provide a handy GDPR compliance checklist to help get you started.

What is GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR is a new EU data protection law that came into effect on May 25, 2018, replacing the 1995 EU Data Protection Directive. The GDPR strengthens EU data protection rules by giving individuals more control over their personal data and establishing new rights for individuals.

The GDPR applies to any company that processes the personal data of EU citizens, regardless of where the company is located. This means that even if your business is not based in the EU, you will still need to comply with GDPR if you process the personal data of EU citizens.

There are two key concepts under GDPR: accountability and data minimization.

1) Accountability

In GDPR, accountability means that businesses must be able to demonstrate that they are complying with GDPR. This includes having policies and procedures in place to protect personal data, as well as training employees on these policies and procedures.

To show accountability, businesses must keep records of their processing activities. They should also appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO), who is responsible for ensuring GDPR compliance.

Finally, businesses must have a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) in place to identify and mitigate risks to personal data.

All of these accountability measures help to ensure that businesses are taking GDPR seriously and are taking steps to protect the personal data of EU citizens.

2) Data minimization

Data minimization is the principle that businesses should only collect and process the personal data that is necessary for the specific purpose it was collected for. This means that businesses should not collect more data than they need, and should delete any data that is no longer needed.

For example, if you collect someone’s email address in order to send them a newsletter, you should not use that same email address to send them marketing materials unrelated to the newsletter. 

Data minimization is an important principle under GDPR because it helps to protect the personal data of EU citizens from being collected and used without their consent.

How to make your business GDPR compliant?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the steps you need to take will vary depending on your specific business and situation. However, there are some general steps you can take to get started on your GDPR compliance journey. Check out the GDPR Compliance Checklist we’ve provided below.

YouYaa GDPR Compliance Checklist

Conduct a data audit

The first step is to determine what personal data you currently have, where it came from, and why you are processing it. This will help you to identify any areas where you need to make changes in order to comply with GDPR.

Update your privacy policy

Once you know what personal data you have and why you are processing it, you can update your privacy policy to reflect these changes. Your privacy policy should be clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Get consent

The GDPR requires that you get explicit consent from individuals before collecting, using, or sharing their personal data. This means that you need to have a clear and understandable consent form that individuals can easily opt out of.

Implement security measures

The GDPR requires that you take steps to protect the personal data you collect from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. This includes implementing technical and organizational security measures like encryption and access control.

Train your employees

It’s important that all of your employees are aware of GDPR and understand their roles in complying with it. You should provide training on GDPR compliance, as well as have policies and procedures in place to ensure that your employees are following the law.

Appoint a DPO

As mentioned earlier, businesses must appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) who is responsible for ensuring GDPR compliance. The DPO should be someone with the knowledge and experience to effectively carry out this role.

Conduct a DPIA

A data protection impact assessment (DPIA) is required in order to identify and mitigate risks to personal data. The DPIA should be conducted before you implement any new processing activities.

Taking these steps will help you to get started on your GDPR compliance journey. However, it’s important to keep in mind that GDPR is a complex and ever-evolving law, so you should continue to stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

The most important thing is to get started on your GDPR compliance journey today. The sooner you start, the better prepared you’ll be when GDPR goes into effect. And, if you have any questions along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out to a GDPR compliance expert for help.