The GDPR, Bachmann Group and YOU

The safeguarding of personal data online has become more important than ever before. Several high-profile cyber-attacks have pushed governments to create the GDPR, which will become European law next month and is designed to make customer details much safer than they are now. But what exactly is the GDPR?

Here are ten facts you need to know...

1. GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation and the agreement will become Guernsey and EU law on 25th May 2018
2. The GDPR will affect any business or organisation that collects and stores personal, often sensitive information about its customers when selling goods and services. Obviously this represents the vast majority of online businesses and organisations
3. 'Personal information' can apply to many different kinds of data, from names and addresses to bank details and payment information
4. The GDPR will apply to any business or organisation, regardless of where they are in the world, who is selling or attempting to sell goods and services to citizens of the EU
5. In obtaining data from potential customers, all companies must use clear, plain language. Jargon will not be permitted
6. It is easy to give consent to the storage and use of personal data but often noticeably less easy to withdraw that consent. The GDPR will make sure that both processes are equally simple and clear
7. Any breach of data security must be quickly notified to affected customers, in not more than 72 hours after the breach occurs
8. Obtaining information, both printed and verbal, about what data is stored and how it is used must be a simple process and must be completed without financial charge to the customer
9. The best measures to protect data must be taken, right from the start. Any appropriate infrastructural and technical safeguards must be put strictly into place, right from the onset of designing a data storage/­retrieval system
10. Any business or organisation that fails to comply with the new ruling will be subject to a fine of up to €20 million or 4% of the company's total global turnover for one year

Bachmann Group are working hard to ensure total compliance with the GDPR before the deadline. Among other changes, we are adopting new ways of using the latest software to ensure that all data we hold on our clients is completely secure.

If you're concerned with how GDPR will affect you and your data, then do not hesitate to get in touch with our skilled team.