The General Data Protection Regulation; better known by its acronym RGPD, is a new European regulation establishing rules on the use of personal data. Well, it’s actually been around for a few years. However, in May 2022, 4 years have passed since the application of this regulation was established, which makes the European Continent the world pioneer in this legislative field.
doHow does the RGPD affect some everyday situations in companies? Well, pay attention to the changes in data protection that allow you to re-evaluate the concept of privacy.
What is the GDPR and when did it come into force?
The RGPD is the regulation that regulates the use of personal data throughout the European continent. It was published in the year 2016leaving aside the previous Directive 95/46/CE.
The objective of this regulation is indicated in article 1 of the RGPD regulation, in which it explains that “it protects the fundamental rights and freedoms of natural persons and, in particular, their right to the protection of personal data”.
This regulation applies to all organizations, institutions or public entities in which personal data of third parties is handled. For example, data provided by customers or employees. The adaptation of the RGPD in companies Spanish has been somewhat slow. May 25, 2022 marks 4 years since its application was established.
Why is it important for companies to comply with the GDPR?
The new regulations offer many benefits; especially for customers or data owners, who can enjoy true privacy. This reduces the risk of scams. But we can also point out that companies are benefited, because they can project an image of greater reliability to their customers.
Of course, far from weighing the benefits of applying the RGPD in organizations, it is important to consider that This regulation is mandatory. So apply sanctions for GDPR non-compliance and LOPDGDD.
According to official data, it can be apply penalties on violations very serious of up to “€20,000,000 and 4% of the total annual global turnover of the previous financial year”.
Knowing that there are penalties for breaking these rules should motivate companies large and even small to follow the regulations. However, according to data from IDC“only half of the small and medium-sized European companies had taken measures to adapt to the new regulations”.
The problem that arises from the new data security regulations is that employers do not understand what the GDPR consists of. The same thing happens to you? It is convenient that you think about daily situations that occurred before the regulation and that are now no longer viable, in this way you can understand everything that is contemplated in the new directive.
Daily situations in your company that you cannot ignore with the RGPD
In the business environment, situations may arise that, according to the new regulations, may represent a breach of the handling of personal data. Please pay attention to the following situations from now on. In this way, you get rid of a bad time and even a possible penalty.
Celebrate a co-worker’s birthday
In the office it is very common to honor the co-worker on his birthday. However, the date of birth is a personal data. So unless the employee approves, you cannot make a birthday calendar public in the office.
This is logical, after all, the birthday is a personal data that is requested in many personal transactions, and some users even use it as a password, so it should not be “public domain” information.
Send Christmas greetings
During the holidays, it is customary to send Christmas greeting cards to customers. This custom has become an engagement strategy, but using the home address of your customers is against the new regulations.
You should ask your customers beforehand if they accept that you send them a greeting card for the Christmas season. This implies managing an updated database to avoid misunderstandings. Although this means more work, if you really want your brand to project a closer image, it will surely be worth managing a good database.
Sharing photos of a colleague’s child
Family photos are family, so no one outside the family is allowed to send baby photos, especially when the photo is sent from one country to another.
The regulation establishes permission to send photos to another country designated by the EU with the RGPD.
Check the box to join a mailing list
Getting subscribers to send third-party marketing information based on “silence, inactivity, or pre-ticked boxes” is no longer possible. You must have a request for consent. You should review the online privacy terms.
Manage political data in the office
Talking about politics in the office is completely normal and everyday, and it is even very common to send emails about the upcoming elections. Well, the new regulations make a “full stop” in this type of conduct that was previously common.
In reality, expressing affinity towards a political party is a very personal matter, and no Organization should interfere in this type of private matter. In this sense, companies are not allowed to register political data of employees, unless they have their explicit consent. Similarly, chain emails related to political elections are not allowed.
Data Violation
The digital world has new advantages, but at the same time it is vulnerable to computer attacks. For example, corporate data hacking is one of the most common attacks, and even highly regarded companies have fallen victim.
Well, according to the RGPD “if personal data is lost, destroyed or altered, the Organization is obliged to notify the authorities in charge within 3 days”. But, there is more. All persons affected by the data loss must be notified of what happened.
This shows the great responsibility of companies to protect users’ personal data with advanced mechanisms so that they are not damaged “accidentally or illegally”.
health facts
Missing work due to illness is common. Of course, a support must be presented that proves the state of health. However, employees should not indicate over the phone what illness they have. Just notify them that they are sick. This type of information falls under the special category of data protection.
In short, the European Data Protection Regulation caused several changes in the handling of personal data. We have only mentioned a few of the many situations. In this sense, it is very important to understand what is involved, since mishandling them can carry sanctions that can affect your business profits.
Similarly, it is of the utmost importance that your company’s collaborators understand the regulations stipulated in the RGPD, so that they do not commit imprudence that causes problems in the company.
