The EU has made a huge decision, in the interest of every one of its 500+ million residents. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), effective on May 25th 2018, gives the greatest level of data transparency and control to date, and places that control into the hands of the end user.
This regulation will standardise across all EU member states, which means any business operating within the EU, from anywhere in the world, must ensure they are compliant by May 25th. The UK has already committed to uphold the regulation post-Brexit

What is the GDPR?

Essentially the GDPR gives EU residents greater control over both consent and usage of their data. For example, there will be no more pre-checked boxes, assumptions of consent or any profiling carried out, without the user agreeing to this upfront. Where data is used, shared, stored and disposed of will all now require the user’s knowledge and consent.

How is Webgains preparing for the GDPR?

At Webgains we live and die by our commitment to responsibly looking after the data of our clients and their customers. As a data processor, we have a duty to provide demonstrably secure and reliable platforms and workflows, and we’re constantly improving our IT and Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) to this end. We recently gained ISO 27001 accreditation, as part of our drive to improve all aspects of our systems management.
We have a senior team conducting a root-and-branch review of our platforms, workflows, contracts, terms and conditions and anything else that affects any element of a customer’s personal data. This is a huge piece of work, involving Webgains people from across Europe, reflecting our commitment to data integrity.

What will happen next from Webgains?

From Webgains, if you are a publisher or advertiser, you will receive a GDPR compliant contract update to our Data Processing Agreements. This is essential for us to be able to continue working together securely and with the confidence of the end user. We will be updating all policies that assert how Webgains will work with data going forward, and make sure everyone can see those policies and understand them.
Finally, we will be making changes to our internal processes. Most of these will be invisible to the outside world, but are also really important for the customer. Our teams will also be updated on how to sensitively handle personal data, including accessing, editing and sharing within Webgains.

What should you do?

Familiarise yourself with the GDPR guidance available from ICO, and consider where you are interacting with your customers, and handling and sharing data. At all touchpoints, there will be an element of the GDPR that relates, and it is every business’s responsibility to be conscious of the changes coming its way.